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I 



The 

Seed of the Righteous 


By 

FRANK BULLEN 



NEW YORK; EATON & MAINS 
CINCINNATI: JENNINGS & GRAHAM 


V^ARY of OONSRESsi 
(wuCoDies Hectic 

stp 23 laoa 

jfiii .,>‘iry 

o if 


Z.I 


Copyright, 1908, by 
EATON & MAINS, 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER page 

I. The Cup of Trembling i 

II. Beginning Life i8 

III. Beginning the World 35 

IV. The Struggle 51 

V. Going to Sea 67 

VI. Happiness 84 

VII. The Workaday World loi 

VIII. Development 117 

IX. Ideals 134 

X. Dick, the Man 151 

XI. An Alliance on Terms 169 

XII. Marriage 187 


iii 


4 





I 







1 


ii’ 


♦ VI 


\ 


» 


4 


J 


I 



* 


CHAPTER I 
The Cup of Trembling 

SusAN^ dear, my heart is very sore to- 
night/' 

The comely middle-aged wife of Richard 
Hertford looked up from her needlework in 
surprise at her husband's words, for they had a 
most unusual sound coming from him. He 
and his wife were of the very best type of 
London working folk, a pair whose lives were 
a lesson, unconsciously delivered, to those 
around them. He was a railway signalman at 
a wage of twenty-seven shillings a week; they 
had been married seven years and had four 
children, the eldest a boy of six, the youngest a 
girl of two. 

Dick and his wife were both of the same 
age when they married, thirty-two, and had 
kept company " for four years previously. 
She was then a housemaid in an upper middle- 
class family, a faithful, quiet servant, not very 
brilliant, but earnest and hard-working. She 
had brought with her from her far-away York- 
shire home an intense love for the religious 
faith in which she had been reared, and prized 


2 The Seed of the Righteous 

above all things among her small possessions 
her letters from pastor and class leader in the 
grim little village chapel which was to her 
almost as the temple at Jerusalem was to the 
devout Jew. 

But it was not until she had been in London 
for a year that she succeeded in finding a chapel 
to which she might go and feel at home, for 
her opportunities of getting about were very 
few, servants in those days, and in such service 
as she had, being almost prisoners in the house. 
When at last she did find a Methodist chapel 
she felt a thrill of joy such as she had never 
known before, and only then did she realize 
what her heart-hunger had been. It took some 
time before she could feel quite comfortable; 
for the chapel, though humble enough to urban 
Methodist ideas, was to her simple mind a place 
of great grandeur, and the worshipers, to her 
village notions, as yet unsophisticated by her 
London life, almost too grand for her to 
associate with. 

This lowly attitude of soul she preserved 
during her whole period of membership at 
Lyon Road Chapel; and although her class 
leader and pastor probably thought she was 
dull and unappreciative, she was really full of 
love for her souks home and her fellow-wor- 


The Cup of Trembling 3 

shipers. Then came the second great joy of 
her life — her meeting with Dick Hertford, who 
was a member of her class, but who, like her, 
by reason of his employment, had to be content 
with scanty attendance. He was her first love ; 
and from the first time, when on a pelting wet 
night he offered her the shelter of his um- 
brella — she having lost hers — until the evening 
when my story opens, she had never lost the 
deep sense of delight she had felt in having the 
need of her humble heart satisfied. 

No story of courtship and marriage could 
well have been more unromantic than theirs. 
They had no violent vicissitudes, no quarrels; 
nothing occurred to break the even flow of 
their lives. They were both orphans, and had 
no one to consult with reference to their ways ; 
but both were deeply earnest and sincere 
Christians, who referred all their doings to a 
loving Father in the childlike faith that was a 
part of themselves. 

Quite early in their courtship they had de- 
cided not to marry until they were able, out of 
their united savings, to furnish a little home 
and start life free from debt, of which they both 
had an inbred horror. But as their earnings 
were pitifully small, and they both responded 
generously to the calls made upon them for 


4 The Seed of the Righteous 

charity and the needs of the church, it was not 
until they reached the age I have mentioned 
that they felt able to marry and settle down in 
a little home which was all their very own. 

Their married life was full of peace, and 
although Dick's occupation kept him from her 
side for many hours at a time — and when he 
was on night duty those hours seemed very 
long — she was patient and cheerful, always 
magnifying her blessings and contrasting her 
quiet, happy life with those of her neighbors 
in the poor neighborhood in which they lived, 
where scenes of domestic misery through drink, 
unemployment, and sickness were painfully 
plentiful. 

But in spite of all her care and frugality the 
expenses incidental to a growing family, the 
low rate of wages earned by Dick, and the high 
cost of living made it impossible for them to 
save more than was sufficient to maintain the 
absolutely necessary club payments and to meet 
the occasional heavy demands made for doc- 
tors’ bills — for her health was far from good, 
and Dick always insisted upon having help 
from outside whenever she was ill. 

Never a word of doubt or thought of fear for 
the future, however, had crossed her mind until 
the evening upon which my story opens, when 


s 


The Cup of Trembling 

Dick, who had returned from duty in an un- 
usually somber frame of mind, suddenly ut- 
tered the words recorded at the beginning of 
this chapter. As soon as she had recovered 
from her surprise she said : 

Why, whatever can be the matter, Dick ? 
what should make your heart sore? Isn’t 
everything goin’ on well ? We Ve both got our 
health, an’ the children, God bless ’em, are 
doin’ well, too. Your work’s constant, an’ 
though we can’t save much, we’re far better 
off than most of our neighbors. But perhaps 
you don’t feel well tonight,” she added, 
anxiously. 

“ O, yes. I’m all right in health,” he replied, 
somewhat hastily, but one of our fellows. Bill 
Hatherleigh — ^you’ve heard me speak of him — 
died suddenly yesterday in his cabin. He’s left 
six young children, an’ his wife is not strong; 
an’ although he was one of the steadiest fellows 
I ever knew, he hasn’t been able to save a 
penny more than’ll just about bury him. An’ 
what’s to become of those helpless ones I can’t 
think. An’ it come over me all at once as I 
was walkin’ home, whatever would you do if it 
should please God to take me off like that ? ” 

'' Why, Dick,” she cried in wide-eyed amaze- 
ment, '' whatever in the world is wrong wi’ ye? 


6 


The Seed of the Righteous 


1 never heard ye talking like this before. 
Where's your faith in God? If ye'd been a 
spendthrift or lazy or drunken, ye might have 
cause to worry, but not now, not when ye an' 
I have lived the life we have. God won't fail 
us, I know he won't, for he knows how we've 
lived before him." 

Ah, my girl," Dick replied, despondently, 
you're talkin' as if we'd made a bargain with 
God. But you know we haven't. We've lived 
as we have because, thank God, we've been 
led by him that way, an' we haven't been 
tempted like other people. An' I think we can 
say, too, that we’ve lived near him, because 
we've loved him an' couldn’t be happy without 
bein' as close to him as we could get. Yet, 
somehow, that knowledge doesn't keep me just 
now from havin’ a sinkin' feelin’ at my heart 
as I think of poor Bill. There's another thing, 
dear ; livin' where we are we haven't been able 
to make any friends. We couldn't associate 
with these people round us, not, God knows, be- 
cause we’re any better than they are, but their 
ways an' conversation don't fit in with ourn 
at all. An' havin' no folks either — well, alto- 
gether I confess I don't see what's to become of 
you if the Lord takes me away suddenly, or, 
what'd be harder to bear still, gives me a long 


The Cup of Trembling 7 

illness, an’ then takes me away at the end of it. 
But there’s just one thing about it that’s help- 
ful : all the worryin’ in the world won’t alter it, 
won’t give me another shillin’ a week to put 
away or lessen our expenses, so we must fall 
back upon what we’ve enjoyed for so long — 
‘ Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou 
dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be 
fed.’ ” 

By a tacit consent the subject was not again 
raised between the pair, except that in their 
mutual prayers they laid a little more stress 
than before upon the point of their entire de- 
pendence upon God for sustenance in the event 
of anything happening to the breadwinner. 
Dimly they realized that all people were de- 
pendent upon him for all the blessings of life; 
but, being human, they could not help feeling 
that a little nest-egg, had they been able to 
store one, would have made them much more 
contented and easy in their minds. 

One thing especially made it harder for these 
simple souls to avoid fears for the future — the 
necessarily narrow lives they led. They had 
no recreations, except the one they dearly 
loved, their attendance at the chapel ; but those 
attendances were, owing to Dick’s employment 
and his wife’s heavy household duties, seldom 


8 The Seed of the Righteous 

enjoyed together; indeed, they were often at 
long intervals unable to go even alone. They 
read very little except in the Bible, and the 
newspapers not at all; and so, although they 
were very happy in each other and the children, 
their horizon was a small circle indeed. Even 
gossip, that wonderful solace to the wives and 
daughters of the poor, especially in country 
villages, had no place in their lives ; they had no 
time for it. 

But Susan did find time to help her poorer 
neighbors, not indeed with money — for of that 
she had none to spare — but with what money 
cannot buy, personal loving service in time of 
sickness and distress. Very often, after a hard 
day’s work in her own home, when all the 
children were tucked snugly in bed and Dick 
was away on night duty, she would go out 
to a sick neighbor’s house and do the washing, 
tidy up the poor place, and get back to her own 
home so tired that she could hardly drag one 
foot after the other, but with her heart full of 
content, the invaluable approval of the Spirit 
vouchsafed to the Christian who is following 
closely in the footsteps of the Master. 

Of course it never occurred to her that she 
was doing something very fine, or that her life 
was full of heroism. She would have said if 


The Cup of Trembling g 

she had been asked that she acted as she did 
because she could not help it; it was the irre- 
pressible impulse of the new life within, the 
Force that does all the real good in the world. 
And Dick, although he sometimes gravely took 
her to task for thus overtaxing her strength, 
realizing how very much lighter his daily or- 
dinary duties were than hers, could not help 
feeling a glow of sweetest satisfaction when he 
saw how closely she was following in the foot- 
steps of the Saviour, and strove in every possi- 
ble way to keep pace with her, while constantly 
admitting that in spiritual stature she towered 
far above him. 

Unfortunately, since he had given utterance 
to his fears for the future, he had hardly been 
able to resist the temptation to look upon these 
labors of love as deserving of special protection 
from the mournful events of mortal life, and in 
discussing this with Susan they did not agree. 

He would say : Surely God can’t let us 
come to grief ; see how faithfully we serve him. 
It wouldn’t be fair nor just, now, would it, for 
him to let us come to want, or our children 
either ? Don’t David say, ' I have been young 
and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous 
forsaken, or his seed begging bread’ ? And yet 
I don’t know, I feel afraid sometimes — 


lo The Seed of the Righteous 

Then his wife would say, with just a touch 
of reproof in her voice : O, Dick, you know 
youVe taught me that we mustn’t make bar- 
gains with the Almighty. It may be his way 
for us that we should come to poverty an’ want, 
an’ as long as it is not through any fault of 
ours, be sure there’ll be blessing in it, some- 
where, somehow. But I’m quite sure of one 
thing, an’ that is that it would be wrong of us 
to think that, because we have lived as close to 
God as we know how, we’re entitled to the best 
of everything in this world. I know now it’s 
wrong to think so, an’ clean against Scripture, 
too, for there it seems as if God’s nearest an’ 
dearest, if he has any favorites, which I don’t 
believe, have had the very hardest time of all 
his people. No, Dick, dear, don’t let us make 
that mistake, nor worry ourselves about the 
future either, but go on livin’ as we’ve always 
done an’ trustin’ to his goodness an’ mercy to 
do all for us that is good.” 

Such, in brief, was the substance of many 
conversations between these simple Christian 
souls, although sometimes it was Dick that 
comforted his depressed partner, instead of 
being comforted by her. And so they lived 
their uneventful lives, giving out in the dark 
place where they lived a steady light from 


The Cup of Trembling ii 

above that the migratory population around 
could not help noticing, although they certainly 
did not understand it in the least. 

At last it came about that one bitter winter, 
when the eldest boy was eight, Susan, coming 
home very late at night from doing a sick 
neighbor’s washing, caught a severe cold, 
which settled upon her chest, and compelled 
her to take to her bed for a month. Bravely 
she battled with her sickness and the natural 
worry of a poor woman with four young 
children, but the struggle left severe traces 
behind it when at last she was able to resume 
her labors. Dick, too, showed the strain, for 
not only had the heavy expenses eaten deeply 
into their little store, but want of rest and the 
necessity of keeping steadily at his onerous 
duties in the great signal box had pulled down 
his naturally fine physique sorely. 

But the first evening they had together 
downstairs they devoted to a little service of 
thanksgiving and rejoicing that they had suc- 
cessfully battled through the troublous time, and 
were now ready again to face the world. One 
thing was especially comforting to them — their 
children were all well and hearty, and the eldest 
boy especially was a fine little fellow, thought- 
ful and helpful beyond his years, besides get- 


12 The Seed of the Righteous 

ting on exceedingly well at school. In fact, as 
such heroic souls will, they found many things 
to be grateful for, and, in consequence, they 
were very bright and happy. 

So much so that when one of the class leaders 
from their chapel called upon them he was 
agreeably surprised to find them so cheerful; 
being a man in humble circumstances himself, 
as, indeed, were most of the congregation, he 
could easily have appreciated their being very 
depressed and worried. But instead of that he 
found himself being uplifted and helped by 
their example, and when he took his leave it 
was with a glow of satisfaction at his heart in 
that he had been privileged to witness a special 
and significant instance of the triumph of faith. 

Such a strain, however, as our friends had 
gone through is not lightly overcome, and is 
bound to leave deep marks upon the bodily 
powers ; and both Susan and Dick felt strangely 
unlike their old selves, Susan especially being 
conscious of a queer fluttering at her heart 
upon the slightest exertion. The knowledge of 
this, however, she kept to herself, for, woman- 
like, she wished to spare her husband pain and 
worry as much as she could, and putting the 
feeling down as ‘^weakness,’’ hoped that.it 
would speedily pass off. But it did not, and 


The Cup Of Trembling 13 

she made little headway in consequence, being 
generally only just able to keep about. 

One wretched night, very dark, with a fierce 
blizzard howling, Dick, relieved from his 
onerous task, eagerly set his face toward home. 
1*0 do so he had to cross a wide stretch of 
metals, which, however, he knew as we know 
the way about the house, and consequently had 
no thought of danger. Alas that the old 
saw about familiarity breeding contempt should 
so often be justified, and its dreadful results 
demand recording ! He stepped aside to 
avoid a passing train, and a shunted truck 
flying noiselessly past, caught him, flung him 
under its wheels, and bumped over his prostrate 
body. One of the shunters stumbled over 
him soon after, and, groping fearfully about 
the limp form, dragged it into the six-foot way, 
and then rushed off for help. 

Men came and bore what remained of Dick 
to a place where medical aid was soon procured, 
but it only took the doctor a minute to decide 
that Dick had passed beyond earthly needs. 
His uniform showed what he was, and after a 
few inquiries his address was discovered, and 
one of the porters was sent to break the news 
to his wife. He reached the house at about 
2 A. M., and after some little trouble succeeded 


14 The Seed of the Righteous 

in arousing her. She came down, trembling 
with cold and an indefinable apprehension, 
opened the door, and, staring wildly at the 
dark figure standing there, exclaimed : ‘‘ What- 
ever is the matter? Where’s Dick? ” 

The messenger said, thickly : I’m very 
sorry, Mrs. Hertford, I hardly know how to tell 
you, but your husband — ” He stopped, not 
knowing how to phrase his terrible tidings, but 
she in an unnaturally quiet voice commanded 
him to go on. Summoning up all his courage, 
he moistened his dry lips and uttered the dread 
words : Your husband has been killed.” 

She made no reply, but stood staring at him 
fixedly, as if she had been in a trance for a 
few moments, then slowly collapsed and sank 
to the ground before him in a shapeless heap. 
He caught the candle from her sinking form, 
set it on the floor, and endeavored to raise her, 
but unavailingly. Then at his wits’ end — for 
he was a young bachelor and not very resource- 
ful — he stepped over her and rushed upstairs 
seeking help, but only found the four children 
soundly sleeping. There was no one else in the 
little house. With a dim idea in his mind that 
the poor woman had fainted he hunted about 
for some water, with which he went back and 
tried to revive her, but to no purpose. 


The Cup of Trembling 15 

Horribly alarmed at the situation, he then 
laid down the heavy head and ran out, leaving 
the door ajar, in search of help. At the corner 
of the street he was fortunate enough to find 
a policeman, who told him where he could get 
a doctor, and went at once to the house to 
mount guard until he should return. He was 
back in half an hour with the doctor, who, 
upon examination, pronounced the woman 
dead, and gave it as his opinion that she had 
died from shock upon receiving the news. 

By this time in some mysterious way a few 
of the neighbors had become aroused and were 
profuse in their offers of help. So, since no 
better could be done, the policeman took the 
names and addresses of two of the volunteering 
women, put the house in charge of them, and 
left them to render the last solemn offices to 
the dead. Then he and the doctor and porter 
went their several ways, all considerably 
shaken by the sad event, for in spite of their 
experience there were elements of tragedy in 
the situation which touched them very deeply. 

So the grim work proceeded, more neigh- 
bors coming in to stare and talk, and — must it 
be said? — plunder. Unhappily, yes, because 
of the character of those neighbors. Small 
articles began to disappear first, then larger. 


1 6 The Seed of the Righteous 

until suddenly several quarrels broke out, and 
the once quiet home became a scene of uproar- 
ious brawling. In vain did some of the more 
decent among the invaders raise their voices in 
protest against this wickedness ; having begun, 
it seemed as if it must go on until nothing but 
the bare walls remained. But a sudden diver- 
sion was made by the simultaneous awakening 
of the four children, who, seeing the room full 
of quarreling people, burst into loud lamenta- 
tions and cries for mother, all except the eldest 
boy. He, poor laddie, sat blinking at the 
strange scene, the dim figures and guttering 
candles, but uttering not a sound. 

Suddenly one of the women, who had been 
really doing her best, and had taken no part in 
the despoiling of the poor home, caught sight 
of the little lad’s white, wondering face and 
rushed to his side. She flung her arms round 
his neck with a rough idea of comforting him, 
but he, trying to push her away, said in a 
strange voice : Where’s my mother ? ” 

At that pitiful question, the woman burst 
into tears, crying : O, you poor lambs, you’ve 
got no mother nor father now. How ever shall 
I make ye understand ? ” Then turning fiercely 
upon the other people in the room she cried 
stormily: ‘‘Look here, if this doesn’t shame 


The Cup of Trembling 17 

ye, nothing will. There’s some of ye that’ll 
carry a curse with ye all yer lives for this 
mornin’s work, robbin’ the helpless orphans, 
that the sight of is enough to break one’s heart.” 
Much more she said to the same effect, while 
the three younger children wailed pitifully. 
Mother, mother,” until in some mysterious 
way the house was emptied of its undesirable 
visitors, and the two good Samaritans were 
free to pursue their self-imposed task of trying 
to comfort the bereaved ones. 

But presently both of them remembered that 
they must be off to attend to their own house- 
holds, and having first ascertained that the 
eldest boy was capable of looking after his little 
brother and sisters for a time, they took their 
departure, promising to look in again soon. 
And here my story proper begins. 


CHAPTER II 
Beginning Life 

Little Dick Hertford, aged nine, sat up in 
bed for some time after the two strange women 
had gone, like a child in a trance. The wailings 
of his brother and sisters went on incessantly, 
but they apparently fell on deaf ears. He was 
stunned, poor little man, for although bright 
and intelligent and very helpful in the house, 
he had never as yet felt any need for initiative ; 
always there had been behind him his mother’s 
guiding hand or voice. Nor had he ever real- 
ized the meaning of death, never had seen a 
dead person, although he knew theoretically 
that everybody must die. A more willing child 
never lived, but just now he felt quite helpless 
and did not know where to begin, even had 
he known what to do. 

But gradually there came to his mind a pic- 
ture of that dear mother, whose constant habit 
it was, when worried or bothered about any- 
thing whatever, to say aloud : Ah, I know 
what I’ll do; I’ll ask the Lord about it.” And 
many a time he had knelt by his mother’s side 
listening while she, just as simply as a child, 

i8 


Beginning Life 19 

made known her wants to the Father. The 
idea flooded his mind until, with sudden 
energy, he sprang out of bed, dropped on his 
knees, and cried, shutting his eyes very tight : 
'' Our Father ’chart in heaven, mother’s dead, 
an’ I’m here all by myself, an’ I don’t know 
what to do. Do please help me an’ show me 
same as you used to do mother when she asked 
you, an’ forgive us all our sins for Christ’s 
sake. Amen.” 

While he prayed out loud in a trembling 
voice, the other children ceased their wailing, 
gazing round-eyed at him kneeling on the 
floor, but as soon as he had said “ Amen,” the 
youngest child, Dolly, began to cry again much 
louder than before. 

Without a moment’s hesitation he rose from 
his knees and went over to her, saying: 

Don’t cry, Dolly. I’ll dress you now, an’ 
if you’re a good gal. I’ll get you a piece of 
breadnbuttersugar.” 

This promise pacified Dolly for the moment, 
but presently she whimpered again as her 
clothes were being put on : Where’s my 

mummy? I ’ont my mummy.” 

And that for some strange reason or other 
loosed the poor laddie’s tears, so that, laying 
his head down upon the coarse quilt by his lit- 


20 


The Seed of jhe Righteous 

tie sister’s side, he sobbed as if his heart must 
break. This outburst quieted while it fright- 
ened the other children, for Dick was by no 
means given to tears, and they hardly knew 
what it was to see him cry. 

At last the paroxysm spent itself, and he 
resumed the dressing of his sister with only 
an occasional catch in his breath at intervals. 
And, although it may appear strange to men- 
tion the fact here, that one outburst seems to 
have sufficed him for life, for he has never shed 
a tear since. The other children. Jemmy and 
Susan, were awed into silence, and the dress- 
ing continued until they were all ready for the 
day. 

Then, Dick going first, they all went down- 
stairs, to find the usually neat and tidy kitchen 
a wreck, and to miss at once very many things 
their eyes had long been accustomed to. But 
there was food in the cupboard, and first giving 
Dolly her promised slice, Dick made some tea 
and laid the breakfast. The ha-porth of milk 
had been left at the door as usual, so that 
everything was in order, and the little group 
were soon seated at their meal, all eating with 
good appetite except Dick, whose heart was too 
full. Having seen them all supplied, he stole 
softly upstairs and into his mother’s bedroom. 


Beginning Life 21 

looking fearfully at the straight white figure 
on the bed lying so still and covered with a 
sheet. 

An overwhelming desire to see what had 
happened conquered the cold thrill at his 
stomach and through the roots of his hair, 
and he went on tiptoe to the bedside, gently 
lifted the corner of the sheet, and gazed upon 
the dead face. Its hue curdled his blood, but 
its perfect serenity and peace reassured him; 
and although his little body felt benumbed he 
could not be said to be alarmed. But a great 
awe came upon him, which aged him as well 
as solemnized him, quenching every other 
feeling. After standing steadfastly gazing at 
the dear face for about a minute he quietly, 
drew the sheet back into its former position 
and stole out of the room on tiptoe, the scene 
ineffaceably branded upon his memory. 

As he went down the stairs there suddenly 
came into his mind the thought of his father. 
How was it that he had not yet heard of this 
trouble and come home ? It may seem strange 
that this thought had not occurred to him be- 
fore, but it must be remembered that owing 
to his father’s occupation he was often absent 
from home at irregular hours, so that the 
children were accustomed to be without his 


22 The Seed of the Righteous 

society, while their mother was always with 
them, and to her they turned in every difficulty. 
But now, having remembered his father, he 
longed intensely for his home-coming, feeling 
that when that happened much of his present 
trouble would disappear. 

Meanwhile he busied himself getting Jemmy 
and Susan ready for school as usual, as he 
had seen his mother do, and when that was 
done he tidied up to the best of his ability. 
What little he could do, however, was soon 
done, and then although it was time to leave 
for school he could not go and leave Dolly, 
and he could not let the two younger than 
himself go alone, he having been used to escort 
them. O, how he longed for his father’s foot- 
step! and yet, feeling that the tragedy of last 
night was still unknown to him, was afraid of 
what might happen when he did come. 

At last a knock came at the door, and Dick, 
trembling with excited anticipation, flew to 
open it. But alas for his hopes! it was only 
one of the women who had promised to return. 
She was loud in her expressions of pleasure 
at his cleverness in doing what he had toward 
tidying up, and in getting the children ready 
for school, but her voluble talk was suddenly 
interrupted by Dick, who, looking as if he had 


Beginning Life 


23 

not heard a word of what she had been saying, 
said quietly : '' Why doesn’t father come 

home? ” 

For a few seconds the woman stared fixedly 
at him, as if unable to understand his pathetic 
inquiry. In truth, she was stricken with 
amazement, for it had not occurred to her that 
the boy was as yet ignorant of the complete- 
ness of his loss. And then suddenly, with a 
sort of scream, she burst into tears and 
snatched the little fellow to her bosom, crying: 

O, ye poor lambs, don’t ye know that your 
father’s dead, too ? This is too dreadful ! And 
to think that those wretches should rush in and 
rifle the place at such a time; why, it’s worse 
than a lot of devils would do. Well, I don’t 
know what to do for ye — haven’t ye got no 
friends, Dickie, no uncles or aunts or anybody 
like that? ” 

Dick, having disengaged himself from the 
woman’s embrace, replied : I don’t know ; I 
don’t think so. We only had father and 
mother.” 

Well,” she went on after a pause, I don’t 
see what I can do. Ye’ll have to go to the 
Union, of course, but who’s to take ye? I 
can’t stay with ye or go with ye, I’ve got my 
hands full as it is, and Mrs. Jones has gone 


24 The Seed of the Righteous 

out to her work. I do wish somebody would 
come.’’ 

Her wish was almost immediately granted, 
for there came a tremendous double knock 
at the door. Upon opening it she was con- 
fronted by a policeman, who was accompanied 
by the relieving officer. In briefest business- 
like fashion the two men took charge of mat- 
ters, telling the kindly woman that there was 
no need for her presence any longer, as they 
would do all that was necessary. They knew 
all the details as far as could be known from 
the report of the constable who had been first 
called in, and who had now gone off duty. 

So, bridling, she retired, grumbling as she 
went that it was just like these Jacks-in-office 
to ignore the help that she had rendered. But 
they took no notice of her, being busy taking 
an inventory of what remained in the poor 
home. Then the policeman fetched a cab; the 
children, trembling and bewildered, were taken 
out of the house and bestowed in the vehicle, 
around which a gaping crowd had gathered; 
and the relieving officer, leaving the policeman 
in charge, drove off with his charge to the 
workhouse. 

On the way thither the officer put many 
questions to the eldest boy, with the intention 


Beginning Life 


25 

of learning more of the circumstances if 
possible ; but Dick could tell him nothing 
that he did not already know. Up till last 
night the children had lived as children ought 
to live, their every need supplied by their 
earthly providence, surrounded by an atmos- 
phere of tender, loving care, and the catastro- 
phe which had descended like a black wall had 
cut them off from it all so completely that they 
were as entirely helpless and ignorant as if 
they had been dropped from another planet. 

The officer was not a sympathetic man — few 
of his class are — and the sight of bereavement 
and consequent misery was, by reason of his 
calling, sadly familiar to him; but there was 
something in this spectacle so touching that 
he muttered : '' I shan't be sorry to get this 
job off my hands ; it's about as much as I can 
stand." Then, with a rough attempt at con- 
solation, he turned to Dick and said: Cheer 
up, old chap, you're going to a good home, 
where you'll be well looked after ; and you'll be 
a jolly sight better off than ever you was in 
your life." 

Dick answered him not a word, though his 
heart swelled with indignation at the thought 
of his being better off without his mother. 
But with the blessed elasticity of youth the 


26 The Seed of the Righteous 

other children forgot their fears and sorrows 
in the drive, their first experience of the kind; 
and by the time the cab drew up at the great 
gate of the workhouse they were chattering 
gaily with one another. They were speedily 
transferred to the master’s office; and thence, 
after a few formalities with the receiving 
officers, were drafted off to the children’s wing 
and placed in charge of the matron as by the 
working of some well-oiled machinery, and 
without the accompaniment of a single kindly 
word. For it was before the days when 
Scattered Homes and special treatment had 
been ordained for pauper children. 

Dick remained quiet and observant through 
it all, soaking in every detail, even though 
full of bewildered wonder at all he saw around 
him. Presently he turned with a start as the 
matron, having handed over the other children 
to her subordinates to be attended to, said: 

Come, young man, you mustn’t sulk. You’ve 
got a good home now, and you’ll be well looked 
after and treated as long as you’re a good boy. 
You must pay attention to all you’re told, and 
you’ll get on here as well as you could any- 
where.” 

Dick looked up at her, O so gravely for nine 
years old, and replied : Please, mum, I aint 


Beginning Life 


27 

sulky, and I will be a good boy ; mother always 
said I was. But everything’s so new and funny 
that it seems to make me silly. I will try and 
do what I’m told, because mother always 
taught me to.” 

His earnestness drew a grave smile to the 
somewhat stern face of Mrs. Beaver, the 
matron, and she said: ‘‘That’s a brave lad, 
and I hope you’ll grow up to be a father to 
those little brothers and sisters of yours when 
you’re old enough.” 

Now, without in the least intending it, Mrs. 
Beaver had struck the right chord in Dick’s 
brave little heart. He then and there deter- 
mined that he would be just that — a father to 
them ; he would try and do what he knew would 
please his mother, as he used to look after them 
when she was ill and be rewarded with many 
a kiss. But he said nothing to anybody on the 
subject, neither then nor afterward, though his 
resolution never wavered for an hour. 

A severe ordeal awaited him the next day, 
when he was sent under the charge of an offi- 
cial to attend the inquest on his parents. He 
then heard, but for the most part without un- 
derstanding it all, the evidence that was given 
about the two sad deaths; but, young as he 
was, he fully realized the terrible nature of the 


28 The Seed of the Righteous 

calamity that had occurred. He heard, too, 
many expressions of sympathy with himself 
and his brother and sisters in their bereave- 
ment, but happily did not know that the neat 
little home which the care and self-denial of his 
parents had so lovingly built up was scattered 
to the winds, and the miserable pittance that it 
fetched went to pay the authorities some of the 
expense that they had incurred in taking over 
this little group of orphaned youngsters. 

Well, it was all over now, the happy home 
life and tender, parental care. He and his 
brother and sisters were just units in a great 
company of the unwanted, under the charge of 
paid attendants, who, it must be admitted, tried 
to do their duty, but could hardly be expected 
to give love as well. And, worst of all for little 
Dick, he very seldom saw his brother and sis- 
ters, and still less frequently could he speak to 
them. This was a sore trial to him, for it was 
laid upon his heart somehow that he ought to 
look after them, to make up to them in some 
way, he did not know how, for the loss of father 
and mother. This weighed upon his mind so 
much that he was very silent and reserved; 
he lost the natural buoyancy of youth and did 
not play with the other boys in his section, held 
aloof from them, in fact, and of course suffered 


Beginning Life 29 

for it. For he was called a variety of un- 
pleasant names by the other boys, and by those 
in authority considered sullen and evil-tem- 
pered. Both of these injustices rankled in his 
mind and had a great effect upon his character 
through life. But he only shrank farther 
within himself, applied himself more diligently 
to his lessons, and looked forward to a time of 
escape from his present unhappy surround- 
ings. 

Such a course of treatment, however, upon 
a mere child could not but have a most depress- 
ing and aging effect, and most probably would 
have injured him mentally but for the blessed 
relief which came to him through another boy 
of about his own age who suddenly appeared 
from the infirmary, where he had been confined 
for a long time with scarlet fever. He was one 
of those strange youngsters who seem born to 
amuse. The very expression of his face was 
laughter-provoking — round and chubby, with 
pursed-up lips, a little snub nose, small twin- 
kling gray eyes, and constantly taking on a 
number of quaint wrinkles, as if it were made 
of India rubber and was being pulled in various 
directions. And this jolly visage was crowned 
with a thatch of rebellious red hair, which 
stood up like so many flaming spikes, whenever 


30 The Seed of the Righteous 

Teddy Muggs, for that was his funny name, 
took his cap off. 

His body was as quaint as his face, and his 
speech was full of strange quips and cranks, 
as if he couldn’t be serious to save his life. 
This apparition bounded up to Dick as he sat 
one playtime brooding in a corner of the 
schoolyard, with a yell of delight as of a Choc- 
taw Indian. Dick looked up in utter amaze- 
ment at the sound, and after staring at the 
queer little fellow grimacing before him, grad- 
ually relaxed his features in a smile. 

‘‘ Well, now,” screamed Teddy, it can grin, 
so it can. I thought it was a nimmidge! 
Hooray ! ” And then, after capering about a 
little more, Teddy quieted down and, squatting 
by the side of Dick, gradually drew him out 
of his shell, until, for the first time since the 
dreadful shadow of his great bereavement fell 
upon him, he felt as if he had some interest in 
life. 

The other boys, with whom Teddy was a 
prime favorite, not merely because of his fun- 
making capacity, but because he had a knack 
of suddenly turning upon any boy who was 
inclined to ill-treat him and making himself 
excessively unpleasant, soon came round to 
stare and comment upon the new acquaintance- 


Beginning Life 31 

ship which had sprung up. It caused quite a 
sensation in that narrow little world of theirs, 
for they had decided that Dick was to be an 
outcast, even among them, and had acted upon 
that decision. Now they could not ignore the 
doughty champion that had suddenly arisen 
and taken Dick under his protection, but they 
were not at all prepared to forego their settled 
dislike of the harmless, quiet lad, whose habits 
and manners were so much unlike their own. 

But although the majority of them, unwill- 
ing to lose their chief fun-maker, the life and 
soul of the playground, threatened Teddy with 
all sorts of boyish vengeance if he took up ’’ 
with Dick, their enmity made no impression 
upon the sturdy little rascal. He only avowed 
more loudly his determination to stick to his 
new-found chum, and Dick felt a new spirit 
rising within him, a resolve to be worthy of 
this friendship and support. And so the two 
lads became almost inseparable. They soon 
discovered their power as a pair who were 
bound to support each other, and although 
their determination cost them many a battle, 
many a collision with the authorities, who sel- 
dom took the trouble to be just in their distri- 
bution of punishments, all these troubles only 
had the effect of knitting them closer together. 


32 The Seed of the Righteous 

And now I must explain that all of the pre- 
ceding account is merely by way of prologue 
to the main part of my story, which is that of 
a brave lad’s battle with fate, without any 
helping hands whatever, and with almost the 
gravest disadvantages to commence with. And 
it may be that additional interest will attach 
to the tale when it is understood that it is prac- 
tically a record of actual fact, only such altera- 
tions being made as seem necessary in order to 
avoid identification. 

For this reason we must now pass somewhat 
hurriedly over the two and a half years which 
Dick spent in the workhouse, in that mental 
and moral atmosphere which usually has such 
a horribly cramping effect upon the young, rob- 
bing them of all initiative and making them 
almost soulless machines. What the effect 
upon Dick would have been but for his chum, 
Teddy Muggs, it is hard to say; he would 
most probably have been crushed by loneliness 
and want of sympathy, as well as by the grim 
routine, in spite of the compelling motive that 
filled his heart. Now, however, having some- 
one in whom he might confide, a chum who 
always looked on the bright side of things and 
who turned everything into fun except Dick’s 
fervent aspirations toward being a father to 


Beginning Life 


33 

his young brother and sisters, he developed 
rapidly in mind as well as in body, and the good 
if coarse food, healthy life, and severe dis- 
cipline made a sturdy lad of him. 

Unfortunately, in those days there was no 
attempt made to teach the boys trades, and so 
the only hope they had of becoming anything 
but unskilled laborers was in their being taken 
out by some local tradesman to assist him in his 
business. Dick and Teddy eagerly compared 
their ideas of what awaited them, and built 
many gorgeous castles in the air thereupon. 
But Dick's daydreams had always for their 
main theme the rescuing of his brother and sis- 
ters from what he had always looked upon as a 
kind of prison, and this had kept his heart open 
toward them, in spite of the very rare oppor- 
tunities he had of seeing them. They, poor 
little things, had little thought of their earnest 
brother — it was not to be expected at their age ; 
and as he was never able when he did see them 
to bring them any of those little gifts that 
quicken the memories and affections of the 
very young, he had to be content with the hope 
that they would know and love him by and by. 

The habit of prayer his mother had taught 
him never left him. He believed in a loving 
Father-God who would help him in answer to 


34 The Seed of the Righteous 

his prayers. And so he prayed morning and 
evening that he might soon grow big enough 
to do what he knew his mother would have 
wished him to do — be a father to the helpless 
ones she had left. Thus he persisted, until 
one day, being gruffly told by the master that 
it was nearly time he was earning his living 
somewhere, he seized the occasion to beg that 
he might be allowed to go out and begin at 
once. And on that very day a local tradesman, 
who was one of the guardians, having inti- 
mated that he could do with an errand-boy, 
Dick was selected for the job, and found him- 
self presently tossing restlessly on his little 
pallet bed, unable to sleep for thinking that this 
was his last night in the workhouse. 


CHAPTER III 
Beginning the World 

Like all healthy little boys, Dick slept so 
soundly that the loud clanging of the work- 
house bell next morning took some time to 
penetrate his deep, refreshing sleep. Also, like 
most youngsters, except those with a naval 
training, he only came to his full senses gradu- 
ally. But as he did so he became conscious 
that something strange had occurred in his 
life, and the feeling strengthened until the full 
knowledge that today he was to begin the world 
on his own account filled him with eagerness 
for the fray. 

The force of habit compelled him to go 
through his usual routine of washing, dress- 
ing, and putting things away according to the 
rules under which he had lived so long; but his 
brain was busy all the time with the possibili- 
ties of the new life before him. He was not 
overconfident, either; certain tremors attacked 
him, made him fearful that he should not be 
able to please his new master, and so on; but 
ever there came to him the exhilarating knowl- 
edge that he would be working for something, 

35 


36 The Seed of the Righteous 

for the definite end of keeping the other chil- 
dren and pleasing his mother. 

Everybody was less gruff and official that 
morning; but his impatience to go could hardly 
be restrained. He did not know when he was 
to go, except that it was to be today; and as 
for the position of his new place of employment, 
the whole world outside the workhouse walls 
was as much an unknown land to him as the 
interior of Africa. But at ten o’clock he heard 
his name called ; he was wanted in the master’s 
office. He hastened thither with quickened 
pulse, and found the master waiting for him 
with a kindly face and a few rather stereotyped 
words of advice. How could the master know 
that the dead mother’s words were a living 
force in that little heart, compared with which 
any words of his were of the smallest moment ? 
Still, it was kindly meant, and did cheer the 
boy. 

Behold him now, a small, tremulous figure, 
outside the workhouse wall, a slip of paper in 
his hand and a look of utter bewilderment on 
his face. His first impulse was to ask a boy 
passing laden with a basket full of groceries if 
he could show him the way to Shortts Road; 
but, to his surprise, the boy not only said he 
didn’t know, but used some very rude language 


Beginning the World 37 

to him for inquiring. Still, he gave him one 
piece of sound advice — he was to “ ask a 
p’leeceman.’’ And Dick, having never known 
the London waif's particular dread of the fine 
men to whom Londoners owe so much of their 
comfort, went fearlessly up to the constable on 
point duty at the corner and proffered his 
question. The columnar man in blue looked 
benevolently down upon the small, eager figure, 
and laying his hand paternally upon the nar- 
row shoulder, gave the requisite directions in 
true policeman fashion — clear, succinct, and 
forceful. 

Thank you, sir," gratefully responded 
Dick, and sped off, arriving breathless at Mr. 
Dickson's shop about ten minutes later. It 
was a fairly large, double-fronted establish- 
ment for the retailing of the thousand-and-one 
articles that are to be found in what we know 
as ‘‘ oil-shops," but which the proprietors dig- 
nify by the title of Italian warehouses." 
Outside the shop, and obstructing a large and 
entirely illegitimate portion of the pavement, 
was a curious assemblage of tin and chinaware, 
servants' boxes, baskets, saucepans, and trays 
full of assorted oddments, ranging from black- 
ing to patent medicines, all of which seemed 
like a mighty display of property in Dick's 


38 The Seed of the Righteous 

wondering eyes. But he did not stop to con- 
template, he went boldly into the dark shop, 
whose windows, walls, and even roof, were 
loaded with such a miscellaneous assortment of 
goods that it seemed a perfect miracle how any 
one mind could ever remember where anything 
was or what was the price of it when it was 
found. 

Dick had hardly entered the shop before 
from the gloom he heard a sharp voice : Now 
then, young man, what’s for you ? ” He 
stopped at the barrier of bundle-wood stacked 
against the counter, becoming aware of a big, 
red-faced man with a bald head and keen eyes, 
who peered sharply out at him, and was about 
to repeat his question, when Dick replied tim- 
idly: ‘‘Please, sir. Pm Dick Hertford, come 
to work.” 

“ Ha ! ha ! ha ! ” roared the shopkeeper ; “ so 
you are. Well, come along, an’ we’ll soon see 
what you’re made of. Look’s if ye could do 
with a good deal of feedin’ up though, an’ yet 
I believe the provisions supplied at the Union 
are of the best quality an’ most plentiful.” 

Dick heard all his employer’s harangue, but 
only succeeded in absorbing as much of it as 
was addressed directly to him. Indeed, he had 
no time for meditation; for Mr. Dickson, like 


Beginning the World 39 

most self-made men, did not believe in waste 
of time either by himself or those who served 
him. And Dick was so eager to please, so will- 
ing to attempt even if he could not perform 
everything he was asked, that he compelled the 
admiration of his master. And the time flew 
so rapidly that, although his poor little stomach 
gave no uncertain warning of its needs, he was 
amazed when Mr. Dickson said : '' Now then, 
my lad, you can go and get your dinner.’’ 

Poor Dick stopped in the middle of what he 
was doing, looked up innocently, and inquired : 

Have I got to go back to the workhouse for 
it, sir?” 

Good heavens, no,” replied his employer. 

Ye’ve done with the workhouse now. By the 
way, where’s your clothes ? ” 

Then Dick remembered that he had been 
told that as soon as he had obtained a lodging 
he was to send for or fetch the scanty ward- 
robe allowed him out of the rates, and that 
henceforth he, might expect to maintain him- 
self on his wages — five shillings a week. 

So he did what first occurred to him — ^he 
told his master the exact truth about his 
position, and as an afterthought explained that 
he had no money to live upon until Saturday, 
nor any idea of where he might be sheltered 


40 The Seed of the Righteous 

or what he would be expected to pay for that 
shelter. Mr. Dickson grumbled a bit, and said 
various things in a half-audible voice about not 
being prepared to board and lodge as well as 
pay; but eventually, looking down at the wist- 
ful face, decided that he could go in the kitchen 
and get his dinner, and that he could sleep 
under the counter on some sacks until Satur- 
day, after which he would have to shift for 
himself. 

‘‘ But,’’ he added, as if afraid that his benev- 
olent instincts might carry him too far, if 
ever I catch ye having a light in the shop after 
I turn out the gas, or so much as tasting a 
morsel of anything that doesn’t belong to ye, 
out ye go, neck an’ crop.” 

Dick smiled fearlessly — was it likely that he 
would do what he ought not? — and said his 
thanks very earnestly. Then Mr. Dickson, 
feeling somehow very good and generous, told 
Dick to mind the shop while he went in to 
dinner, and disappeared into the parlor, leav- 
ing Dick alone with the amalgam of flavors 
that went to make up the atmosphere of the 
emporium. And here I am reminded of the 
exigencies of space, or I could ramble on at any 
length, since I have been in exactly the same 
position as Dick. But the desire must be 


Beginning the World 41 

sternly repressed, and I can only record how 
at the end of half an hour, Mr. Dickson reap- 
peared, his face shining greasily where he had 
wiped it upon his apron, and said in a husky 
voice : Go down to Hulda, Dick, and she’ll 

give ye something to eat.” 

Yes, sir,” ejaculated Dick, and was gone, 
for he was ravenous. 

O, that boyish hunger! To feel it now — 
only for five minutes — with the means to 
gratify it that I have 1 But this is absurd. 

Upon Dick’s entering the kitchen he was 
immediately confronted by Hulda, a shambling, 
round-shouldered, flat-faced girl of about 
twenty, with wistful eyes. The two stared at 
each other for about five seconds in silence, 
then Dick said, humbly : Please, mum, mas- 
ter said I was to come down here and get some 
dinner.” 

'' Yuss,” replied the girl, almost eagerly. I 
know; missus said I was to give ye some. 
Come along, set down.” And pushing back 
with one hand some of the dishes that littered 
the whole table, she dragged a Windsor chair 
up with the other. Dick seated himself mod- 
estly, hardly daring to look around, for the 
general disorder and slovenliness of everything 
jarred upon him strangely, and he felt almost 


42 The Seed of the Righteous 

as guilty as when he had on one or two occa- 
sions felt a strong desire to whistle in chapel 
during service. He had never known such con- 
ditions before. 

However, Hulda slopped down before him 
a big soup plate full of Irish stew and a chunk 
of bread. The smell of the savory mess was 
almost maddening, and he began to dribble; 
but bending his head, he murmured the sweet 
grace his mother had always said : ‘‘ Thank 
you, dear Father, for this good food in the 
name of Gentle Jesus.” He was about to begin 
his meal when he looked up and saw Hulda’s 
round eyes fixed upon him and filled with tears. 
But neither of them spoke ; their feelings were 
difficult of expression; and, besides, Dick had 
something clamoring for attention beneath his 
nose. Hungry as he was, though, he soon 
stopped eating, and stared with amazement at 
Hulda, who was sobbing over her food instead 
of eating it. As soon as she felt the boy’s 
earnest gaze fixed upon her, however, she 
made a brave effort, choked back her sobs, and 
muttering, It’s nothin’, ye only reminded me 
of my mother,” made pretense to go on with 
her meal. 

Dick was too shy as well as naturally too 
polite to put any questions, so nothing further 


Beginning the World 43 

was said until his plate was empty. Hulda had 
been watching him furtively, and at once rushed 
to replenish it; but Dick refused any more, 
having indeed made a goodly meal. Rising at 
once, he said shyly : Thank you, mum,'' and 
v/as about to depart when Hulda cried : 

What's yer hurry? Ye aint ben down here 
ten minutes yut." Dick replied quite honestly, 
as knowing nothing of any rightful times for 
meals, ‘‘ Please, I must go ; master may want 
me," and, backing toward the door, disap- 
peared, leaving the poor girl to the loneliness 
which hung so heavily upon her, and which 
she had hoped to dispel for a little while by 
some conversation with Dick. 

Now there is a serious temptation besetting 
me to enlarge upon Dick's further experiences 
as Mr. Dickson's willing, obedient slave, for 
'' slavery " is truly the only word which could 
be applied to such services as his; but I dare 
not yield to it because of the vista that lies 
before me. I must hasten over those hard and 
heavily burdened days when Dick toiled faith- 
fully, unquest ioningly, unremittingly from 
seven in the morning until ten-thirty at night 
all the week except Saturdays, when it was 
always one o'clock before he got home; for 
after the first few nights under his master's 


44 The Seed of the Righteous 

counter, by great good fortune he had been 
introduced to an old charwoman, who rented a 
small room and a large cupboard — it could not 
be dignified by the name of a room — adjacent 
to it. She had lived alone since the death of 
her granddaughter, a girl of about Dick’s age. 
And now she consented willingly to put Dick 
up and look after him for the not extravagant 
sum of eighteenpence a week. Out of the bal- 
ance of his weekly wage, three and sixpence, it 
behooved Dick to find himself ” in clothes and 
food. Now, for Dick this was not so hard a 
task as it may seem to most of us, because he 
had inherited a prudent strain from father and 
mother, and had learned to find all his amuse- 
ments at home, where amusements are costless. 
Now, amusements did not seem to be indicated, 
as the doctors say. Life was far too serious 
for this small man of under thirteen, burdened 
with the mental load of a brother and two 
sisters presently to be provided for. 

Dick was neither priggish nor abnormal. 
His healthy appetite for enjoyment and his 
sense of humor were just what they should be 
at his age; but his upbringing and the strain 
he had so stoutly borne had between them 
achieved that somewhat sad feat of putting an 
old head on young shoulders, a feat which the 


Beginning the World 45 

false proverb assures us is impossible, but 
which very many of us know is nothing of the 
sort. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that 
Dick's downlyings were often filled with a 
weariness of soul as well as body. There was 
no play in his life, no fun, only hard work with- 
out a kind word, except from the old char- 
woman, his landlady, and she was hardly intel- 
ligible to the eager youngster. The servant, 
Hulda, had promised well; they were begin- 
ning to understand each other fairly when their 
acquaintance ended by Dick's finding a home. 

And so poor little Dick's life was lived 
austerely, being debarred from that enjoyment 
which is the divine prerogative of all young 
things, and cannot be withheld without certain 
injury to the subject. 

Relief, however, came in due time. Dick 
was toiling along toward a customer's house 
under a heavy load of miscellaneous articles. 
He took little heed of his surroundings, for his 
present duty demanded all his physical forces. 
And then, suddenly, a grinning red face, 
topped by fiery hair, was thrust into his, and a 
voice breathing laughter in every intonation 
chuckled: ''What 'O, 'ere’s me boy'ood's 
hidol! Shake 'ands, me old chum, an’ let me 
tell ye 'ow I've missed ye ! ” 


46 The Seed of the Righteous 

Dick stared and gasped, and recognized 
Teddy Muggs. But he had no time to speak; 
for while he was gasping with astonishment, 
Teddy said, sternly, Now then, no te-ars, me 
chee-ild. Hi know ’ow glad ye are, an’ so hon, 
an’ so forf; but the question IVe gotter put t’ 
ye is the hall himportant one, ‘ ’Ow’re ye gettin’ 
on?”’ 

Teddy paused — ^not for a reply, for that mat- 
tered naught to him, but from lack of breath; 
and Dick recovered from his stupor of amaze- 
ment, saying: O, Teddy, I’m so glad to see 
you. I never — ” 

Stop there,” interposed Teddy, dramatic- 
ally. ‘‘Now I know. I ben waitin’ t’ ’ear an’ 
now! come t’ me arms, me long-lorst chum.” 
'And to Dick’s discomfiture Teddy flung both 
arms around him, and pretended to weep with 
much noise. But full of fun as Teddy was, he 
could not help noticing the real tears in Dick’s 
eyes, the working of the mobile mouth; and 
suddenly dropping all his clowning, as natural 
to him as breathing, he whispered : “ Dear old 
chap, don’t cry. I loves yer, woodn’t hurt yer 
feelin’s was it ever so. Tell us ’ow yer gettin’ 
on.” 

And so it camie out that Teddy, also emanci- 
pated, was errand boy at a fancy shop near by, 


Beginning the World 47 

whose proprietors were a newly married 
couple, and so full of each other’s love that they 
shed it abroad and much of it fell on Teddy. 
He told Dick, to the latter’s deep amazement, 
that he could save all his wages ( screw ” the 
wise call it). ’Cause the missis gives me a 
lot more’n I can eat, an’ they’s made up a bed 
for me wot’s a fair king t’ the old show over 
there.” And he jerked his fingers in the sup- 
posed direction of the workhouse. 

Dick should, of course, have felt envious of 
the deep difference between their respective 
lots, but he was far too overjoyed in meeting 
Teddy. And then in the midst of his joy rose 
the specter of his work. He sprang to his feet 
from where he had been sitting on his basket 
handle, and said: ‘‘Teddy, you won’t forget 
me, will you? I live at 13, Fishers Place, Mrs. 
Bryan. I’ve got all day Sundays, and, O! I 
would like to see you then.” 

Teddy raised one hand on high dramatic- 
ally, saying : “ By yon bright moon I swear — 
never mind, I’ll look ye up ; but say, boy, don’t 
look so funerally. My motto is. If ye can’t be 
’appy, look ’appy; ’taint so good, I know, but 
’taint arf bad, now you take my tip. Well, tar- 
tar, me beauty. I will see thee hanon ! ” And 
with a quaint caper intended to be dramatic. 


48 The Seed of the Righteous 

and, evincing Teddy's acquaintance with the 
local '' gaff," the pair separated. 

Strangely lightened at heart, and hardly 
feeling the burden of his basket, Dick sped 
along to his destination. But alas ! his thoughts 
were in a whirl ; he did not look where he was 
going, and he slipped upon a banana skin lying 
on the pavement. Down he came, basket and 
all, with a crash. Springing to his feet, he 
gazed ruefully at the late contents of the basket 
strewn all over the pavement, several bottles 
being smashed. Officious helpers sprang 
apparently from the ground, as they always do 
in London, the ruin was soon cleared away, 
and Dick mournfully lifted the basket and 
trudged shopward. 

Now, it must be admitted that while Mr. 
Dickson was a fairly good type of the London 
tradesman, he had little notion of abstract jus- 
tice and little patience with other people in 
their misfortunes,^ especially if those unfavor- 
ably affected him. So when Dick came in with 
his basket of debris Mr. Dickson, who, it hap- 
pened, had just run a splinter under his finger- 
nail, looked up with a sour expression, and see- 
ing his small servant, snapped out : Where 
ye bin? if ye don't make more haste with yer 
errands, I'll sack ye, d'ye hear? I aint goin’ 


Beginning the World 49 

t’ pay a pack o’ boys t’ play about in my time, 
so don’t ye think it.” 

Poor Dick ; he waited until his employer had 
finished speaking, and then timidly and with 
sob-choked voice told of his misfortune. I may 
not, even though it be a story of true life, go 
into too many sorrowful details; but in five 
minutes Dick, dazed, bruised, and utterly 
bewildered, found himself outside the shop, 
afraid of the human tempest within, yet look- 
ing longingly back at its forbidden portals. 

But to children like Dick the troubles and 
trials of their daily life mean little at the time. 
They are looked upon as an inevitable part of 
the scheme of things, to be met and lived 
through as such. And this by no process of 
reasoning, but incidentally as part of their 
lives. So Dick, after a few bitter thoughts — 
it was physically impossible for him to cry — 
went homeward, his eyes bent on the pavement 
and his mind in a whirl. And, consequently, 
he was brought up suddenly with a bang 
against somebody, whose anger turned into up- 
roarious laughter and culminated in a wild war 
dance. Half stupefied, Dick gazed upon the 
fiery red hair, snub nose, and twinkling eyes of 
Teddy Muggs as upon one who sees visions of 
things that are not. 


50 The Seed of the Righteous 

Well, me bowld 'ero ! shouted that worthy 
child of fun, goin' t' another funeral ? Blest 
if ever I see sich a mug, and me name wot 
it is too. Oose cat’s dead now? ” 

Poor Dick, smiling in spite of himself, began 
his doleful story, but had not got more than 
a few broken sentences out before Teddy, his 
blue eye? aflame, caught him by the arm and 
screamed : Come on ! let’s go an’ smash ’is 
blessed winders — ” but here I must halt, for 
Teddy’s remarks were too redolent of White- 
chapel for a respectable book. Half of them 
were unintelligible to Dick, who, by a mys- 
terious law which does operate continually, had 
not even yet acquired the fouler dialect of the 
street. And his look of consternation caused 
another revulsion of feeling in Teddy, who 
burst into delirious laughter, and shouted: 
'‘No matter-r-r-r-r, his time shall come. 
Meanwhile show me your diggin’s, and I will 
there a plan unfold whereby ye, my boy’ood’s 
friend, shall regain the ’ites of lugsury an’ 
splendor. Ha ! ha ! ” And away they trudged. 


CHAPTER IV 
The Struggle 

By great good fortune Mrs. Bryan, Dick’s 
landlady, was at home when they reached 
there; and Teddy with his antics went straight 
to her heart at once. For in her young days 
she had been a chorus girl at some minor 
theaters, and his sham histrionics aroused deep 
and pleasant memories. Teddy, however, had 
a businesslike side, despite his immense fund 
of fun, and before many minutes he had made 
it clear to the good old woman that Dick had 
lost his job, but that he, Teddy was going to be 
responsible for Dick’s rent until a new job was 
discovered for him. And the meeting presently 
resolved itself into a regular treat of fried fish, 
chip potatoes, and beer for Mrs. Bryan, at the 
consumption of which they were as happy as it 
is given mortals to be. 

When Dick parted with Teddy that night it 
was with a lighter heart than he had known 
since the terrible calamity which had thrown 
him upon the world. And yet he had borne 
another calamity that day, one that even to the 
average boy looms vast and terrifying — he 
51 


52 The Seed of the Righteous 

trembles to go home and tell them he has got 
the sack/’ How, then, think you, must it ap- 
pear to the homeless lad? I know from bitter 
experience, but even I could not do the situa- 
tion justice, with its depth of boyish despair. 
Dick, however, knew that he had found a 
friend, one who had already proved himself 
worthy of the name — a friend, moreover, who 
had brought the divine gift of laughter into his 
life, and had made him for a few happy hours 
forget the almost crushing severity of his lot. 

And so another name was added to his little 
list at his prayers. Fervently he repeated, 
God bless Teddy, and pay him back for all 
he’s done for me,” for Dick with simple faith 
looked upon Teddy’s promises as matters ac- 
complished. When morning broke Dick awoke 
to two stern facts: first, that he was hungry; 
and, second, that it being Friday, he had only 
ninepence left, and that tomorrow would bring 
no pay. So he rose and made his usual toilet 
by the aid of a pail of water, a lump of soap, 
and a coarse towel, and then all in a glow hur- 
ried out into the keen November wind. But 
presently he was brought up all standing by the 
delicious smell of newly baked bread issuing 
from a large baker’s shop. He faltered, 
stopped, and entered. The baker, a large, red- 


The Struggle 


53 

faced man in shirt and trousers only, with his 
bare feet thrust into slippers, said immediately : 

Well, nipper, what's for you? " 

‘‘ If you please, sir," replied Dick, ‘‘ I want a 
penn’orth of stale." 

The baker threw back his big head and 
laughed loudly, but went behind the counter 
and produced from beneath it a tray full of 
odds and ends of cake and bread in a more or 
less broken-up condition, saying: ‘‘Now, then, 
hold up yer cap," and Dick, eagerly obeying, 
presently found himself with as much good 
food as that useful article would contain. With 
a grateful “ Thank you, sir," Dick held out his 
penny; but the baker waved the coin away 
contemptuously, saying gruffly : “ Hook it off. 
My boy’ll be here in a minute, and he might 
go for you. He’d think you was after his job." 

So Dick departed for a sheltered doorway in 
an unoccupied house, where he sat and con- 
tentedly made his breakfast. Then, after a 
drink at a neighboring horse-trough, he felt 
strong and able to face the foe with a good 
heart. But he suddenly thought of Teddy’s 
invitation to visit him at his place of work, and 
at once decided to do so first before entering 
upon his day’s search. So he set off thither, 
and on entering the street where the shop was 


54 The Seed of the Righteous 

situated found it full of people rushing toward 
a central spot. 

h'ull of excitement, he joined the hurrying 
crowd, and presently found himself packed in 
the midst of an excited mob of people who 
were held back from the center of attraction — a 
group of fire engines — ^by a cordon of police. A 
house was fiercely blazing, and the firemen, 
after the usual manner of that splendid body of 
men, were toiling with wonderful energy to 
extinguish the flames. 

Presently Dick, jammed in between a num- 
ber of grown-up people swaying hither and 
thither, unable to see anything and almost suf- 
focated, longed to escape ; but he had to endure 
his imprisonment for an hour, until the fire was 
extinguished, the house having been completely 
gutted. The people gradually dispersed, and 
Dick was then able to see that the premises 
destroyed were next door to the shop where 
Teddy had told him to come, which shop was 
badly damaged also by heat and water. And 
suddenly he caught sight of the brilliant red 
head and nearly black face of his chum, who 
was looking out at the shop door with an air of 
vast importance, as one for whom the police, 
who were energetically moving people on, had 
no terrors. 


The Struggle 55 

After a few vain efforts to attract Teddy’s 
attention, and being warned by policemen to 

Get along out o’ this,” Dick thought that it 
was no time for his visit, and that he had 
better be moving about his business. So he 
began his first day’s search for bills in shop 
windows bearing the legend, A boy wanted.” 
And he found, as we all seemed to do in those 
days, that although while he was in employ- 
ment such announcements were very plentiful, 
yet now that he sought for one they had all 
mysteriously vanished. He trudged and 
trudged until he was weary, and at last finding 
himself near Saint James’s Park, he went in, 
lay down on the grass near a group of loafers 
who were sleeping, and went to sleep himself. 

He woke in about an hour, and resumed his 
search, but unsuccessfully. He did see several 
bills, but upon entering the shops was invari- 
ably told that he was too small — they all seemed 
to want a boy with the size and strength of a 
man to do a man’s work for a boy’s wage. But 
still he persevered until it was night, and he felt 
bound to make his way back again through the 
labyrinth of streets to his lodging, his only sat- 
isfaction being that he had been able to keep 
his ninepence intact, thanks to the baker’s 
abundant generosity in the morning. 


56 The Seed of the Righteous 

At last he reached home, ready to drop with 
fatigue, and was met at the door of the room 
by Teddy, who was looking as anxious as it 
W'as possible for his comical face to express. 

Wot cheer, me noble ’ero ? ’’ he burst out 
as soon as he saw Dick; I fought you’d been 
an’ listed for a sojer, ’relse run away to sea. 
Wot yer bin doin’ wiv yerself all day? ” 

‘‘ Only lookin’ for a job,” replied Dick, wear- 
ily, “ and there don’t seem to be none for me 
anywheres.” 

** Garn,” responded Teddy, scornfully. 

You’ve only bin lookin’ one day. I know 
fellers bin out weeks and weeks an’ aint got 
nothin’ yet. It’s all a matter o’ luck, ye know ” 
(with an air of profound wisdom quite comic 
in a sage of thirteen). But that aint the pint 
(as the chaplin used to say Sundays in ahr 
country mansion) ; the thing is, could ye do 
wiv a couple of savelogions? Corse ’ere they 
is, an’ a chunk o’ bread, an’ as the bloke wot 
made ’em’s a heminent friend o’ mine I can 
guarantee they won’t bark at yer, anet mollrow 
neiver.” 

Dick gratefully took the sausages, and drop- 
ping into a chair, began to eat — almost 
ravenously. 

Then Teddy, with a nonchalant air, as of a 


The Struggle 


57 

man who is accustomed to disseminate epoch- 
making news, said: “ We 'ad a fire next door 
to us t'day. Oil shop. Burnt clean aht, they 
wos. Nothin' but the walls a-standin' now. 
An' our place aint damaged neiver! O, no, 
not arf it aint! But my bloke's wide'o, he's 
got hisself well insured ; so we're all right. 
Business as ushal during rebuildin', see ? " 
Yes," mumbled Dick with his mouth full, 
I saw it. I was coming to see you and got 
stuck in the crowd. And after the fire was 
out I saw you at the door of your shop; but 
the policemen wouldn't let me come to you." 

O," delightedly rejoined Teddy, ‘‘ I was in 
charge of the premises, ye see. The Govnor'd 
gone t' his place in the city, an' the missis bein' 
afraid o' fire, 'ad gone in next door 'long o' the 
lodgers an' the gal. That's the beauty of 'avin' 
a man about the place, ye see. An' now ye 
jest keep yer nerve up. Yore all right. You 
an' me k'n hang it aht fer weeks an' weeks 
s'long as I keep in work; an' Tm all right, I 
know, though I did feel as if me price was 
marked down this mornin' when I fust see the 
fire." 

Indeed, that was a red-letter day in both 
their lives. For there had been adventure — 
danger, the sense of responsibility, all dear to 


58 The Seed of the Righteous 

the heart of boyhood; and when Mrs. Bryan 
came home they could fight their battles over 
again and did, Teddy unconsciously and in- 
nocently magnifying his adventures until he 
almost believed that the fire had happened for 
the special purpose of showing of what he was 
capable when put to the test. 

But Dick had no luck, as he, imitating 
Teddy, called the condition of things prevent- 
ing him getting a job. Daily he trudged about 
the streets of this terrible city of ours, covering 
he never knew how many miles, and learning 
unconsciously a vast number of things besides 
the topography of London. He managed to 
pick up in casual jobs of horse-holding, bag- 
carrying, etc., enough to feed himself; but he 
felt a sinking of the heart as he saw his cloth- 
ing grow shabbier and shabbier, and thought of 
the immense difficulty which still lay before him 
in the matter of his brother and sisters. He 
never missed visiting day, calling on them and 
telling them to look forward to the time when 
they should be free and living with him. 

The memory of his mother kept this hope 
alive in his heart in face of all discouragements. 
It had become a permanent part of his religion. 
Had he been asked to define his religious 
beliefs, he would not have been able to do so. 


The Struggle 


59 

But in his mind was ever the image of his 
mother, who had believed in a loving God and 
Father who cared for the least of his creatures, 
and whose heart could always be reached by 
prayer if that prayer were offered in the name 
of his dear Son Jesus, who was once a poor 
workman on earth. It does not matter in the 
least that the real figure in his mind during 
his prayers and his thoughts of the unseen was 
that of his mother. The effect upon him was 
just what the Father would desire. And it 
kept him clean in mind, honest, and true — 
in the streets but not of them, entirely un- 
affected by their foulness. 

Thus passed a weary three months, during 
which Teddy was faithful to his promise and 
the very joy of Dick’s life. His quaint sallies 
and comments upon the events of each day 
always filled Dick with laughter, even when 
his heart was heaviest ; and although he seemed 
frivolity itself, he never once made a sign that 
he was weary of his self-imposed charge. But 
the winter was very hard, and poor old Mrs. 
Bryan found it a severe task to live, what with 
her rheumatics, bronchitis, and her various 
labors. 

Yet she, like Teddy, never allowed Dick to 
feel that he was a burden, and their little family 


6o The Seed of the Righteous 

gatherings on Sunday were among the most 
precious and profitable times of their lives. 
And then, although none of them so much as 
dreamed of going to church or chapel, Dick 
would get out the little cheap Bible that had 
been included in his workhouse outfit and read 
aloud ; and because it was in him to read well, 
he read the beautiful stories as if they were 
true, not as if the reading were a task to be got 
over as soon as possible and as much credit 
taken for as could be allowed. 

One day, in the very early spring, Mrs. 
Bryan was at work at a great house in the 
neighborhood of Eaton Square, when her em- 
ployer came into the library where she was, to 
find a book. He was a man after God's own 
heart, who never missed an opportunity of 
saying a kindly word or doing a kindly action ; 
and seeing the old woman essaying a task be- 
yond her strength, he went and helped her and 
so got into conversation with her. She that 
morning was full of little Dick's hard lot and 
ill success, and before many words had passed 
she had brought his case up. Mr. Harcourt 
listened intently, and after many questions 
begged her to send Dick up to him. 

The upshot of this was that Dick was per- 
manently installed as a page in that great 


The Struggle 


6i 


house. Every member of the household knew 
his story, and from the scullerymaid to the 
master were in sincerest sympathy with him. 
Behold him, then, his rags (for they were now 
rags) flung away and replaced by a quiet livery 
well made and well fitting, while the generosity 
of Mr. Harcourt had provided him also with a 
good suit of private clothes in which to visit his 
old friends when off duty. 

Strange to say, it did not take very long for 
Dick to shake off the casual habits to which he 
had become accustomed in his nomad life, for 
he had never grown to like that life at all. Yet 
we all should know how hardly such slackness 
affects most natures, making them lose the 
habit of discipline, of due performance of 
duties, and become unfit for sustained effort. 
But in the same mysterious way in which he 
had been preserved from the contamination of 
the streets Dick was saved from this evil, and 
he took to his new duties, which indeed were 
not arduous, with a zest which endeared him to 
everyone in the house. He was a servant of 
servants, as usual with a willing boy in any 
business, though it is often falsely said that no 
boy earns his keep. And so willing was he that 
the more work was required of him the better 
he was pleased and the happier he became. 


62 The Seed of the Righteous 

His greatest delight, however, was the gather- 
ing of the whole household morning and even- 
ing for family prayer. Then, indeed, he gave 
himself up to the purest of all enjoyment; then 
he felt that his mother, looking down upon him 
out of heaven, would be full of delight in know- 
ing that her boy had such opportunities of 
meeting his fellows around the mercy seat, long 
as he had been debarred from that inestimable 
privilege. 

Many a joke was made at his expense be- 
cause of his rapt attention at these times and 
his shining face afterward; but he cared noth- 
ing for that, and secretly every one of his fel- 
low-servants admired him for it, although all 
were unfair in their exactions from him of 
much more than his duty required. But his 
unconscious influence for good in that house 
was immense and none of those who were then 
associated with him will ever forget it. 

After he had been a member of Mr. Har- 
court’s household a year he had another heavy 
blow. It had been his regular custom once a 
fortnight to go on Sunday evenings and spend 
an hour with Mrs. Bryan and Teddy at his old 
lodgings, and very happy he always was in 
their company with his heavy budget of news 
to unload. One Sunday evening in November 


The Struggle 


63 

he trotted off to Fisher’s Place in high glee for 
his usual pleasure, exceptionally happy, for he 
had now managed to put away five whole 
pounds, and his master had told him that his 
wages were to be raised at Christmas from 
three to four shillings a week. 

But as he drew near the house he felt a quite 
unaccountable lowering of his high spirits, a 
general depression which puzzled him. He 
pressed on, however, and found Teddy bending 
over their old friend, who was lying on her bed 
gasping out her life. A sudden seizure of the 
heart, consequent doubtless upon a long course 
of rheumatic pains, had caught her while she 
was chatting with Teddy, awaiting Dick, just 
before the latter came in. So that there was 
no time to run for help even if help could have 
been of any avail. 

It was all over in a few minutes after Dick 
arrived, neither of the boys recognizing the 
importance of the event until the presence of 
death made them do so. Then Teddy ran 
downstairs in an agony of grief and aroused 
the landlord, who in common with many of his 
class knew nothing of his lodger, and cared as 
little so long as his rent was paid and no trouble 
given. He was only slightly disturbed. Find- 
ing that he would be at no loss, he gave the 


64 The Seed of the Righteous 

necessary orders, and the two boys finished 
their Sunday by walking up and down the 
street until it was time for their return. Dick 
bore the blow better than Teddy, whose light 
nature was terribly impressed by the dramatic 
occurrence. Dick was fully occupied in com- 
forting his chum, who had hitherto taken the 
lead in a most masterful way, but was now sub- 
dued to the point of dependence. 

They parted at ten o'clock, Dick returning 
to his place of service with a new sense of 
responsibility upon him, because he felt that the 
right and proper thing for him to do would 
be to pay for the funeral of his poor old friend 
out of his first savings. With this idea in his 
mind he approached the butler on reaching 
home, and asked if he might speak to the 
master — an uncommon request in the house 
where every servant was welcome to consult 
their employer upon any matter at any con- 
venient time, Mr. Harcourt being, indeed, 
father of his household in the best sense. 

Dick was soon called into the library, where 
the kindly man who employed him sat. With- 
out a trace of nervousness the boy told his 
pitiful little story. Mr. Harcourt listened 
gravely, and when Dick had finished said: 

Very well, Dick, you shall have all the leave 


The Struggle 


65 

you want to attend the inquest and funeral; 
but your little savings must not be drawn 
upon. They are wanted for a much higher 
purpose than burial. I will attend to the 
funeral as far as is necessary; but I feel sure 
that you will find your poor old friend has 
made provision for that. Such quiet, humble 
souls usually contrive to do so.’’ 

Dick left the presence, as he usually did, feel- 
ing uplifted and happy, and the knowledge of 
his employer’s quiet and steadfast sympathy 
made the real trial of the week that followed 
seem easy to him. Yes; and if the truth must 
be told fully, he felt rather important too. It 
must have shown itself in his manner, because 
Teddy felt it and resented it accordingly. 

And after the funeral, when they should have 
been nearer to each other than ever, Teddy 
said : ‘‘ Well, Dick, I’m gettin’ abaht fed up 
wiv this. No chance to git on, ye a blessed 
flunkey ’at thinks ye’re everybody. There, 
I sh’ll clear aht an’ go to sea; I’m fair sick 
of everyfink.” 

A thunderbolt falling in the middle of the 
street could not have startled Dick more. In 
an agony of contrition he caught hold of Teddy 
and almost shouted: ‘'Don’t, Teddy; I don’t 
think, I never have thought myself everybody. 


66 The Seed of the Righteous 

I don’t want any chum but you; don’t turn 
against me. You’re the only friend I ever had 
except God since mother and father died, until 
Mr. Harcourt, and he’s different to you, 
you know.” 

But Teddy was now on his dignity, and re- 
fused to recognize the pleading of his chum, 
only saying in response : '' Yuss, it’s all very 
well fer you; but I’m goin’ to sea. I got a 
charnce, an’ I’m goin’ to take it. Ye stop an’ 
live on the fat o’ the land, ye don’t want me any 
more.” 

And off he went without another word, tak- 
ing with him, Dick felt, the half of the latter’s 
life, and making him feel that unless he could 
be reconciled he could not go on with his life’s 
work. It was a crisis in the boy’s career, 
though that he could not know and certainly 
did not realize. 


CHAPTER V 
Going to Sea 

The state of Dick’s mind the next morning 
was most unenviable. Poor lad! he was torn 
by his desire to do what was right by his 
master, and to behave well to Teddy, whom he 
loved with a fullness of affection that some of 
us would find difficult to understand, having 
always had someone to love and someone to be 
loved by. And there was also the awakening 
spirit of adventure in his heart, the wander- 
lust ” of the original nomad which is in every 
one of our hearts, and only wants a word to 
bring it into full vigorous life when we are 
young. Therefore it is not to be wondered at 
that Dick’s duties that week were irksome to 
him, and that, in consequence, he received 
many reproofs which he knew he deserved and 
resented none the less keenly on that account. 

The recollection of his main object in life, 
the setting free of his brother and sisters, was 
just as keen as ever — ^had never, in fact, faded 
for a moment, even when he was happiest in 
his present beautiful home. But the idea that 
he might by going to sea earn enough in one 

67 


68 The Seed of the Righteous 

voyage to do that which his soul longed to 
accomplish, whereas in his present occupation, 
pleasant as it was, it might be several years 
before he could be independent — and he was 
not sure whether he could or would be then — 
O! he would risk it, this launching out upon 
unknown seas in a double sense. 

So it came about that on the following Wed- 
nesday after his painful parting with Teddy, 
he went to the butler and begged him for an 
hour’s liberty after nine o’clock that night. 
The butler gave him permission ungraciously 
enough, adding: You aint been hardly a bit 
o’ good lately. I don’t know what’s come over 
ye. Now, mind you’re in by half-past ten, or 
you’ll get into trouble — d’ye hear ? ” 

Promptly at nine Dick ran off to Teddy’s 
place of work, meeting that worthy outside the 
shop, which he was regarding with the air of 
a proprietor about to dispose of it. 

'' Teddy,” gasped Dick, '' I’ll come with you. 
You’re the only friend I’ve got ” [O, Dick, is 
Mr. Harcourt nobody?], ''and I can’t part 
with you. Besides, we shall earn more money, 
shan’t we ? ” 

For some minutes Teddy did not reply, but, 
gazing at the eager face before him with his 
mouth comically screwed up as if whistling, 


Going to Sea 


69 

seemed to be weighing the problem. For when 
he had wounded Dick so at their last meeting, 
he had not imagined what the effect of his 
words might be. He spoke without thinking 
of the result, as so many of us do, and then 
go away and forget what we have said. But 
Teddy was a boy of parts; and, besides, he 
had made up his mind as to his procedure, so 
he replied very quietly at last : '' All right, 
Dick, me son; Fll speak to me chum, an’ he’ll 
get us both a job in the same ship. I’m sorry 
I hurt ye the other night; I thought ye was 
done wiv me altogether.” 

A voice from within called Teddy to shut up 
the shop_, which operation being quickly per- 
formed left Teddy free to roam up and down 
with Dick for the time remaining to the latter, 
discussing their procedure. It came to this, 
that the ship in which Teddy was to sail lay in 
the West India Docks loading for Levuka, Fiji, 
a small barque of about five hundred tons 
register. She was to leave that day week, and 
Teddy had said nothing to his kind employers 
about his departure, fearing in his heart that 
they would try to hinder his going, and, with 
the usual thoughtless ingratitude of boyhood, 
caring nothing about the inconvenience as well 
as real sorrow that he was causing them. 


70 The Seed of the Righteous 

The upshot of their conference was that they 
were to meet on Sunday, it being then Thurs- 
day, by which time Teddy would have every- 
thing arranged and give Dick his final instruc- 
tions. Then their talk drifted into all kinds 
of enthusiastic imaginings about the glories of 
the new life, all based upon a colossal ignorance 
of the facts, but so full of the beautiful optim- 
ism of boyhood that he would be hard-hearted 
who could blame them. When they parted 
Dick had got so worked up that he lost the 
qualms which first possessed him at the thought 
of leaving Mr. Harcourt without a word after 
all his kindness; he was simply possessed by 
the spirit of adventure, to him so entirely new 
and fresh. 

When the two boys met on Sunday Teddy 
was literally swelling with the importance of 
the news he had to communicate. His idea of 
going to sea at all had been aroused by a young 
man with whom he had come into accidental 
contact, the brother of a boy chum of his. This 
young fellow was an able seaman who had 
made the previous voyage to the South Pacific 
in the Day Dawn, and was given to a good deal 
of brag about the profession he had chosen. 
He was, for a sailor, fairly prudent, and had 
left his discharge with the mate, assuring his 


Going to Sea 


71 

being shipped again. And in one of his recent 
visits to the vessel to see when she would be 
ready for sea he had, at Teddy’s entreaty, put 
in a word for him with the mate, who had 
promised to ship the boy at a pound a month. 

But when Teddy had proposed the enlist- 
ment of Dick also, Wilson, the seaman afore- 
said, looked grave, and didn’t know if it could 
be managed, until the bright thought struck 
Teddy that a little money might ease the situa- 
tion. So in Dick’s name, and knowing of his 
banking account, he promised Wilson the enor- 
mous sum of a pound if he would use his influ- 
ence with the mate to get his chum shipped also. 
Now Wilson was outward bound — that is to 
say, his money was all gone; also he had no 
influence whatever with the mate. But the one 
fact did not neutralize the other, so he prom- 
ised with apparent reluctance that he would do 
his best with Mr. Jackson, the mate; in fact, 
he might say definitely that it would be all right 
if he got that pound. 

Of course poor Dick assented eagerly, prom- 
ising to give Teddy the money, which he had 
drawn out of the post offlce ready for leaving, 
if he came home with him. And this being 
done, they parted with the definite understand- 
ing that Dick was to join Teddy the following 


72 The Seed of the Righteous 

Wednesday evening, and the pair would hasten 
on board the ship. 

Dick slept little that night, for his little brain 
was in a whirl. He could not say his prayers, 
even, for his mind refused to dwell upon any- 
thing but the possibilities of the new life. And 
he must see his brother and sisters, see them 
and tell them his grand schemes for their deliv- 
erance, and bid them wait patiently and hope 
for his return with pockets bulging with money 
to set them free from what he regarded only as 
a superior sort of prison with a definite and 
disgraceful stigma attaching thereunto. 

He rose in the morning heavy-eyed and 
languid, with the butler in a very bad temper 
and the family away. Apparently he could do 
nothing right, and doubtless he was careless, 
being distracted in mind. At last the butler — 
who was, after all, not one of the best of men — 
gave him a resounding blow on the head which 
knocked him down. That stroke awakened 
some lurking fierceness in Dick’s nature, for 
he sprang to his feet, glared wildly round, and 
then, with a scream like a wild cat, flew at the 
butler, biting, kicking, and scratching like a 
mad thing. 

There was a terrible scene, for the butler, 
who was a portly man with no heart to speak 


Going to Sea 


73 

of, yelled for help, firmly believing that the 
boy had gone mad. And indeed it seemed 
like it, for it took all the other servants to 
drag him away from his foe, and then it was 
a long time before he could be calmed down. 
But when peace and order were restored he 
was told to pack up and be off at once under 
pain of being handed over to ,the police, an 
order which he very gladly obeyed. It may 
be satisfactory to read that upon Mr. Har- 
court’s return, he, ascertaining the truth of the 
matter, promptly discharged that butler as be- 
ing entirely unfit to hold such a responsible 
situation as the head of a household. 

Behold Dick, then, entirely free once more. 
Having left his belongings, now grown to 
quite respectable dimensions, at Walham Green 
Station, and with £4 los. in his pocket, he 
bent his steps toward the workhouse, and asked 
as a special favor to be allowed to see his 
brother and sisters, as he was going away to 
sea. It was immediately granted, for indeed 
there is little of the Bumble about our work- 
house officials now, and Dick spent a very 
happy hour with his dear ones. He painted 
a glowing picture of what he was about to 
become, and bade them all think of the short 
time that was to elapse before he would be 


74 The Seed of the Righteous 

back again with his pockets full of money to 
take them away to a pretty home where they 
should all live together happy ever after. 

It somewhat damped his brotherly ardor to 
find that the children did not show any enthu- 
siasm, but listened languidly, as though they 
were rather bored than otherwise. Jemmy, 
too, being now twelve years old, was openly 
envious of Dick, and half resentful of the lat- 
ter’s unconscious patronage. The girls were 
more interested; but, taken altogether, the in- 
terview had a somewhat discouraging effect 
upon Dick, which was not lessened by the 
obvious disfavor shown by the officials. Mr. 
Dickson, as one of the guardians, had justified 
his cruel action at Dick’s expense, and made 
statements which Dick never had an oppor- 
tunity of refuting. 

However, the interview came to an end with- 
out any tears, although Dick’s heart was full 
almost to bursting as he turned away from, 
those grim portals. How he managed to put 
in the time between that afternoon and Wed- 
nesday he cannot remember ; perhaps it is suf- 
ficient to say that on Wednesday at dusk he 
crept cautiously down to the vessel, leaving his 
belongings at the station. She loomed enor- 
mous in the gathering gloom, her network of 


Going to Sea 


75 

rigging and spars dimly outlined against the 
sky ; and Dick, with his heart thumping 
furiously, was summoning all his courage to 
board her, when a small form rolled over the 
side, slid down a fender lanyard, and rushed 
up to him saying: I spotted ye, I ben waitin’ 
fer ’ours an’ ’ours, so’s I could give ye the tip. 
Kin ye climb ? ” 

I think so,” falteringly replied Dick. 

Come on, then,” said Teddy, and led the 
way. 

It was a tough job for Dick to shin up the 
side by the rope which suspended the heavy 
long fender; but he managed it, and followed 
Teddy forward into the forecastle, a dim tri- 
angular space in the bows of the ship decked 
over to do duty as the sailors’ quarters. 

It reeked of tar and paint and bilge-water; 
but it did not smell fetid, for a fresh breeze 
blew through the hawse-pipes, two great holes 
in the bow through which the cables ran from 
the windlass, which was in the broadest part 
of this apartment. 

Now,” whispered Teddy in tragic fashion, 
"" ye mustn’t be seen. Wilson couldn’t ship ye; 
the mate said one boy was enough on the 
articles, so we’re goin’ to stow ye away. It’ll 
be all right when we get to sea.” 


76 The Seed of the Righteous 

Had Dick possessed any worldly wisdom at 
all, he would have shrunk back in horror from 
such a prospect; but his faith in Teddy was 
absolute, he knew nothing of what was before 
him, and so he assented gratefully to all that 
was proposed. Therefore in a very short time 
his bag and box of clothes had been brought 
on board, some of his little store of money 
had been expended on such edibles as the fancy 
of the two boys suggested, and at last, thor- 
oughly wearied, more from the novelty and ex- 
citement than with fatigue of body, they both 
crept into the same bunk and fell asleep. 

So deep was the sleep of the lads that they 
did not hear the various members of the crew 
coming into the forecastle, ordered to be aboard 
to sail at dawn on Thursday. And it was not 
until the little place was a perfect pandemonium 
of noise made by six drunken, fighting, roaring 
seamen that the two lads awoke full of fear, 
clinging breathlessly to each other and wonder- 
ing what it was all about. For, indeed, it had 
no resemblance to any of their imaginings 
about life on board, ship, except maybe in some 
of Teddy’s gory piratical literature. 

So they lay and shivered with apprehension, 
until one by one the roysterers subsided into 
silence because unconscious. 


Going to Sea 


77 

Then Teddy whispered in Dick's ear: 
''Don't be afraid, old chum; that's the way 
sailors always carry on the last night before 
leavin' port. Wilson told me so, an' he's all 
right." 

Dick didn't answer because he felt utterly 
depressed and miserable. A sense of wrong- 
doing lay heavy upon him. For the first time 
he doubted the wisdom of his coming here, and 
just because of this hideous scene which he had 
witnessed outraging all his inherited ideas. 

But we have no time to moralize ; for almost 
immediately, as it seemed, the raucous voice 
of the mate was heard, garnished with all sorts 
of adjectives too commonly used at sea, adjur- 
ing the sleeping seamen to come forth and get 
the ship out of dock. With a whispered caution 
to Dick to remain where he was, and on no 
account to show himself, Teddy jumped out 
and hastened on deck. 

The rest of the morning is for Dick an in- 
delible memory, which he would fain lose, but 
cannot, nor will lose until he dies : the sudden 
incursions of men from without endeavoring to 
drag the unwilling sailors to their tasks, the 
meaningless uproar, the language, the madden- 
ing incertitude of it all to that little shivering 
figure in the forward bunk, and O, the leaden- 


78 The Seed of the Righteous 

footed hours! Then came hunger and thirst 
hardly bearable; but Dick was one of the en- 
during kind, and he held out until at last Teddy 
crept to his side with a pot of some steaming 
liquid and a piece of bread, murmuring : ‘‘ Here 
you are, chum. O, Tm sorry I come. It ’as 
been awful on deck; I feel fit to die. But I 
never forgot ye, an’ sometimes I wished I was 
where ye was. Everybody seems mad, an’ yet 
the ship keeps on goin’ for all she’s worf. 
We’re very nearly down to the Nore now, I 
yerd one o’ the men say. I don’t know where 
that is; but I fink it means that we’re nearly 
out o’ the river an’ at sea.” 

Dick did not say much but drank the strange, 
hot liquid. He did not know what it was ex- 
cept that it was hot and sweet; but that does 
not much matter on board ship. Then sud- 
denly he knew the need of solitude, because 
the vessel had passed beyond the shelter of the 
river and began to feel the incoming swell. 

I will skip the next few wretched days, and 
pass on to the morning when a white-faced, 
trembling lad on the poop of the Day Dawn 
endeavored to answer truthfully the questions 
of the skipper, who, however, did not look very 
angry, not nearly so angry as the red-faced 
mate, who seemed to think that Dick’s having 


Going to Sea 


79 

managed to be on board in spite of his vigilance 
was a distinct reflection on him and resented 
it accordingly. 

The interview ended in a hearty laugh from 
the skipper, who said: ‘‘Well, Mr. Davis, 
there’s no accounting for tastes. You and me 
would run a long way to get from the sea, and 
these boys run a long way to it. But we felt 
like they did once, and so I can’t ever feel 
angry with ’em. Don’t be frightened, boy. 
Nobody’s goin’ to hurt you here if I know any- 
thing about it, an’ I think I do. You poor 
mis’ble little chap! He’d be a bad lot that’d 
hurt you.” 

So Dick was at last free of the ship and at 
liberty to gaze about him at the marvels of the 
sea and sky, to smell the strong uncontami- 
nated air, and feel new life and strength soaking 
in at every pore. To his immense surprise, 
too, the men whom he had regarded with such 
fear and disgust were now transformed into 
gentle, genial fellows, full of kindness and de- 
sire to help, while every one of them seemed 
anxious to teach Dick something connected 
with his new calling. 

As for Teddy, he had evidently been born 
for the sea, as some boys do really appear to be. 
Seasickness had not troubled him at all, he 


8o The Seed of the Righteous 

had picked up the argot of the sea in a sur- 
prising manner, and was obviously a prime 
favorite with all on board. When Dick with 
glistening face came forward from his inter- 
view with the skipper it was Teddy who with 
a vast patronage introduced him to the cook 
and by degrees to the rest of the crew. And 
after a few days of fine weather, Dick began 
to feel as happy as a boy can be in this world 
— so happy that he again began to pray, a mat- 
ter that he had neglected except in spasmodic 
ejaculations during his deepest trouble and 
pain in the first days of his seafaring. 

But pleasant as the life seemed to him, there 
was one drawback arising from the intensely 
practical unboyish side of Dick’s character. 
He could not find out from Teddy what his 
earnings were likely to be, and he dared not as 
yet ask anybody else. So he never learned that 
he was only on board by sufferance, a tres- 
passer on the ship’s hospitality, and by no 
means a wage-earner at all. 

The few fine days which had befallen them 
in the middle of the Bay of Biscay passed 
away, and left the vessel tossing uneasily on a 
huge blind swell rolling in from the Atlantic 
and apparently undecided which way to rise 
or fall. The sky took on a greasy gray shade. 


Going to Sea 


8i 


and seemed to descend until it almost touched 
the mastheads. Then the wind raised a moan- 
ing, desolate cry, while the warmth departed 
from the air, and all hands shivered with chill 
and apprehension. 

With a savage burst of triumph the gale 
began and increased in violence until to Dick’s 
almost benumbed senses it seemed as though 
the sea and sky were blended, and that any 
moment might be their last. But really the 
danger was not so much from wind and sea, 
which were no heavier than thousands of 
vessels weaker than the Day Dawn brave 
every winter successfully. It was the extraor- 
dinary density of the atmosphere, not fog but 
spindrift, which made it impossible to see a 
ship’s length. And everybody but Dick and 
Teddy on board knew this, being worried 
accordingly. 

The best lookout at such a time is of no 
avail, for mortal eyes cannot penetrate the 
gloom, and so no blame can be attached to the 
unknown steamer which leaped upon the Day 
Dawn out of the thickness, crushed through 
her upper works, and ground her fierce way, 
backed by the momentum of eight thousand 
tons, right through the staunch frame of the 
smaller craft. 


82 The Seed of the Righteous 

There was a horrible congeries of noises, 
hissing of escaping steam and whirling foam, 
roar of wind and crash of timbers, and then 
silence most profound with darkness be- 
fitting. . . . 

How long after Dick cannot tell, he felt 
himself gently lifted into a boat, aching in 
every limb, and, strangely enough, somewhat 
peevish at being disturbed, for the bitterness 
of death was past and the return to a world of 
pain unwelcome. But succeeding wrenching 
pain he found himself beginning to take an 
interest in life once more. Upon inquiry he 
discovered that he was on board the Orient 
steamship John Elder bound to Australia, 
whose keen-eyed lookout had espied him float- 
ing like a bit of drift-weed flung across a 
bucket-rack, and reporting the discovery had 
caused the great steamship to stop, lower a 
boat, and amid the intense and sympathetic 
interest of hundreds of passengers to rescue 
the poor little stowaway, who thus at a bound 
and by brevet rank of suffering became the one 
object of interest to all on board the great mail 
steamship. 

But alas! of all whom he had known and 
grown to love in the Day Dawn there remained 
not one, not even Teddy, his genial, lovable 


Going to Sea 


83 

chum. They had passed into the beyond, and 
left him, by an inscrutable decree, sole survivor 
of this little tragedy of the sea : so usual, yet so 
poignant and appealing to all who think. 


CHAPTER VI 
Happiness 

It is no slight test of character to be able to 
withstand a sudden elevation to the position of 
a hero without losing mental balance, yet it 
is pleasant to recall that this did occur in Dick’s 
case. He took but a very short time to recover 
from the shock to which he had been subjected, 
and when he appeared on deck in some bor- 
rowed clothes became at once the center of at- 
traction. The captain put him through rather 
a severe examination respecting the vessel he 
had been in and his position on board, which he 
passed through triumphantly, not knowing any 
reason why he should conceal anything or feel 
any inclination so to do. 

But when the captain gave orders that he 
should be sent forward to share the crew’s 
quarters and food there was something like 
consternation among the passengers, who had 
idealized the gentle-faced delicate-looking lit- 
tle chap into something very different from 
what he really was. They remonstrated vig- 
orously with the captain, who had to politely 
inform them that he was doing his duty simply, 
84 


Happiness 85 

and that his orders did not admit of his treat- 
ing distressed British seamen as first-class pas- 
sengers. The debate ended by one eminent 
colonial gentleman, who was returning home 
from a holiday in Europe, offering to take Dick 
as his servant, and thus secure a berth for him 
in the second class. 

This offer Dick gratefully accepted, for to 
be quite candid he had not taken to the sea- 
faring life with any enthusiasm. He was not 
of the temperament or physique fitted for it. 
So when an offer was made that placed him 
above the necessity of going into the forecastle 
again he was delighted. Of course the novelty 
of Dick’s appearance among the passengers 
soon wore off. His simple story soon lost its 
charm, and he took the place assigned to him 
as if all had been arranged for his doing so 
long before. 

Lest, however, it should be thought that 
Dick, amid all these vicissitudes and with the 
immense amount of attention and flattery 
which had been bestowed upon him, had been 
in any way spoiled, let me hasten to say that 
no sign of such deterioration showed upon him. 
He remained humble, simple, and good. There 
are some people who are unspoilable, and Dick 
was one of them. In this, as far as he can tell, 


86 The Seed of the Righteous 

the happiest time of his life, he never lost the 
extreme sense of gratitude, first to God as the 
Disposer of events, and next to the immediate 
instruments. Nothing seemed able to alter this 
grateful habit of mind in him, or make him re- 
gard his blessings as coming to him of right. 

His new employer, Mr. Jenkins, was de- 
lighted with him, and would have spoiled him 
had it been possible. His duties were of the 
lightest, and in the ports visited by the ship, 
such as Gibraltar, Naples, Port Said, Colombo, 
he had ample opportunity of indulging his 
great faculty of wonder, which, as you know, is 
so closely akin to worship. And when at last 
the ship reached Australia and he gazed upon 
the mighty land of which he had heard so 
much, he felt as if, no matter how long he lived, 
he could never rise to greater heights of hap- 
piness. 

Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne were all vis- 
ited, and Sydney, his master’s home, was 
reached, when there came a catastrophe: his 
master suddenly informed him that he was 
ruined and could employ him no longer. In his 
bitterness of spirit Mr. Jenkins said that, hav- 
ing brought Dick to the land of plenty, he 
would be well able to look after himself — it was 
only poor men who had once been rich who 


Happiness 


87 

would find a difficulty in doing that. Dick did 
not understand, but felt perfectly sure that he 
did not want to stay in Australia. His business 
was in England, in London, where his beloved 
ones were. And no amount of talk concerning 
the possibilities of fame and fortune in this new 
world for the young made the slightest impres- 
sion upon him. Deep-rooted in his soul was 
the conviction that his future as well as his duty 
lay at home, in London. He was obviously not 
an empire-builder, esteeming the spread of the 
imperial idea in far-distant lands beyond all 
claims of home. 

Well, thank God, we are variously consti- 
tuted, and I cannot blame little Dick Hertford, 
tempted on every hand to remain in the great 
brave colony, because he remembered his 
brother and sisters at home in the Fulham 
Workhouse and decided that he must return to 
them. But how ? It was no easy thing to de- 
cide, however much he might desire it. For- 
tunately, the John Elder was still in port, and 
he went to the captain, who was a just man, if 
occasionally stern. Dick laid his case before 
him, and had the satisfaction of being accepted 
as a boy seaman to work his passage home. 
He did not note the moisture in the skipper^s 
brown eyes as the latter uttered the pleasant 


88 The Seed of the Righteous 

words, '' Yes, I can ship you tomorrow/’ But, 
then, skippers are privileged to conceal their 
emotions, since to exhibit them may be costly 
for owners, who have only dividends to con- 
sider in connection with the running of their 
ships. 

Homeward bound! the thought filled Dick 
with joy, yet he came back but little richer than 
he went. True, the first munificence of Mr. 
Jenkins had fitted him out with a goodly kit, 
which, alas, he was fast growing out of, and 
the generosity of passengers had provided him 
with money up to the amount of a little over 
ten pounds. But at Dick’s age we cannot think 
of trifles like these. Moreover, on the passage 
home the captain had, in the making of con- 
versation at the saloon table, which is always 
one of the most difficult of his duties, told 
Dick’s story. And since Dick was on duty on 
the promenade deck all day, the homeward 
passengers had ample opportunity to gratify 
their curiosity as well as to show their apprecia- 
tion by giving the gentlemanly-looking boy 
sundry pieces of money, which he carefully 
stowed away. 

But I am not going to describe an ordinary, 
uneventful passage home from Australia by the 
Suez Canal. Such travelers are we all today 


Happiness 


89 

that it would be really almost an insult to do so. 
I can only, therefore, say that in due course 
Dick reached London again much richer in ex- 
perience if not in money, with his horizon im- 
mensely widened and his faith in the goodness 
and love of his fellow-men much increased. 

Happy indeed is the lad who can survive 
such an ordeal as Dick had gone through with- 
out losing some at least of his early ideals. Yet 
there are many who might do so were it not for 
an original bias toward evil which the absence 
of restraint only seems to encourage. But Dick 
was of a material that seemed proof against 
any evil influences ; it really appeared as if his 
mother’s gentle spirit hovered about him and 
held him immune from any of the tainting 
effects of freedom to do what he would that 
often makes such havoc of the young life in our 
midst when cut loose from home restraints. 

His delight at reaching home again was deep 
and full. His dear country, he felt, was better 
far than any he had glanced at on his long 
voyage, and he was almost surprised himself at 
the passionate patriotism which welled up in 
his small heart. But landed from the vessel 
and arriving at Fenchurch Street, it was sud- 
denly borne in upon him that in it he had no 
one spot that he could call home, no one who — 


90 The Seed of the Righteous 

ah, yes, there were the little ones anxiously 
awaiting him, and at thought of them his spirits 
rose. He had then an objective to make for, 
even if it were only a workhouse. And on the 
instant he turned his steps toward Mark Lane 
Station, having left his dunnage,’’ as he had, 
like an old sailor, learned to call his baggage, 
in the cloak-room at Fenchurch Street. 

Speeding swiftly westward in the District 
train to Walham Green, he first counted his 
precious little hoard, which now amounted to 
fifteen pounds. A little fortune in itself to 
some boys, and one to be dissipated in a 
miraculously short space of time from want of 
knowing how to handle any money larger in 
amount than pence. How well I remember 
when, younger than Dick, I was paid off from 
the Western Belle at Green’s Home with eight 
sovereigns and a lot of silver! Those golden 
pieces awed me. To think that I owned them! 
I could not remember having seen one before 
except when I once went with auntie to pay 
her rent at the post office in Jonson Place, and 
to my baby eyes the sovereigns looked mag- 
nificently large, even as golden five-shilling 
pieces might do. To carry them about with me 
(for I felt that I could not help flaunting them) 
would I knew be to invite some one to rob me. 


Happiness 


91 

So I speedily came to the conclusion to convert 
them into clothes, which I had often so sorely 
felt the need of. And I did do so, nor ever 
regretted it. 

But Dick had a splendid stock of clothes; 
and also (what I never possessed) a habit of 
keeping his own counsel, and only opening his 
heart to tried and approved friends. More- 
over, he had an object in view, which he felt 
would need all the ready cash he could muster. 
And, greatly daring, he had made up his mind 
to take a desperate plunge. 

So when the train drew up at Walham 
Green he sprang out and almost ran all the 
way to the workhouse, being nearly in a panic 
as the possibility occurred to him of something 
having happened during his absence. Arrived 
at the great door, he took a vigorous pull at the 
bell, with a sense of having in some mysterious 
manner lost his awe of the place. The porter, 
rather startled at the stentorian clanging of the 
bell, came to the wicket hurriedly, and when he 
saw that it was only a boy spoke accordingly. 

But Dick was in no wise alarmed, and 
merely said, when the porter paused for 
breath : ‘‘ I want to see my brother and sisters, 
name of Hertford. And if I did ring loud, how 
many times have I heard you telling people to 


92 The Seed of the Righteous 

ring as if they wanted somebody to hear ’em? 
You seem as hard to please as ever.” 

The man gasped, glared, and then laughed, 
for he was not a bad sort at all. At last he 
said : Why, ye must be young Dick wot went 
to sea. Well, you’ve come back with a rare 
cheek on ye. Never mind ; I’m glad to see ye, 
and so will the master be. He aint forgotten 
ye, I know, ’cos he often speaks of ye. Come 
along in, ye young rascal.” And he flung the 
great gate wide open, making a mock obeisance 
as the little figure passed in. 

It nearly overwhelmed Dick to find that 
what the porter said was more than true. Not 
only did the master remember him, and favor- 
ably, but many others did, too, and he soon 
learned that Mr. Dickson’s treatment of him 
and others had become widely known in its 
truthful aspect; and in consequence he was 
now something of a hero in the place, especially 
as in some way it had leaked out that he had 
gone to sea. Why, it was almost like a trium- 
phal procession from wing to wing of the great 
building until he met the three who had never 
been absent from his thoughts for a single day 
since his mother had died. 

The change in Jemmy struck him chiefly. 
This lad was now thirteen, and fiercely resent- 


Happiness 


93 

ful of all restraint. He bore with smoldering 
ferocity all the rules and regulations of the 
place, but it was evident that he wanted badly 
to break loose. So his meeting with Dick was 
rather constrained on his side. He looked at 
Dick with a sidelong, envious glance, as who 
should say, ‘‘ Who are you, to get out of this 
prison and leave me here ? The girls, on the 
other hand, were obviously hypocrites. They 
had learned to say only that which would 
please, and not that they felt or meant, and 
they could not shake off this habit of long-ago 
acquirement in presence of this strange brother 
who might possibly be an inspector of some 
sort come to find out something about them 
and get them into trouble. Alas, without 
blaming anybody, this is the inevitable result 
of herding children together in great institu- 
tions. But even in Scattered Homes, unless the 
matrons be good, there is room for worse evils. 
However, the whole question is fraught with 
difficulties. 

Of course Dick was daunted by this recep- 
tion, for his warm and lovable nature had not 
anticipated it ; but he had too much good sense 
to be angry with what he saw the children 
could not help. A little of his enthusiasm did 
infect them, Jemmy especially showing great 


94 The Seed of the Righteous 

desire to escape. At last Dick bade them fare- 
well, giving them his solemn promise that he 
would get a cheap lodging and a few things to- 
gether and then come and take them away. 
They did not believe him, and showed their 
doubts quite plainly; but he pretended not to 
see this, and bidding them an affectionate fare- 
well, went away, full of his schemes for liber- 
ating them. 

So deeply immersed in thought was he that 
he hardly looked where he was going, and thus 
as he turned into the Fulham Road he was 
nearly knocked off his feet by a gentleman 
going in the opposite direction. My boy,^’ 
began the gentleman, you should — Why, 
mercy on me, if it isn’t my runaway Dick ! ” 

Dick at the same moment had recognized 
Mr. Harcourt and hung his head. But Mr. 
Harcourt, laying a firm, kindly hand upon him, 
said: “Now, Dick, bygones shall be bygones. 
Come home with me and tell me all your adven- 
tures. Your old enemy the butler is no longer 
in my service, so you need not be afraid of 
meeting him. And Fm sure you are not afraid 
of me.” 

Thus adjured, Dick went gladly with his old 
friend, and soon found himself prattling away 
as freely as if nothing had ever come between 


Happiness 


95 

them. Arriving at the well-remembered house, 
Mr. Har court gave orders for tea to be brought 
into his study, for he would not let Dick go 
down among the servants yet, in case they 
should reproach him. In a little while Mr. 
Harcourt was in possession of all the main 
facts of Dick^s experience since his running 
away, and when the lad’s simple story had 
come to an end he said gravely : ‘‘ My dear 
Dick, I know you are thankful to God for all 
his mercies to you, and so I won’t tell you to be 
so ; but I do think you have been exceptionally 
blessed. Never forget that. And now tell me 
what your plans are.” 

Thus encouraged, Dick told all that was in 
his heart to do for his brother and sisters, Mr. 
Harcourt listened with glistening eyes. When 
at last Dick had finished he said: '' Well, my 
young hero, I cannot discourage you, though I 
feel what a great undertaking you have before 
you. Nor can I offer you a situation in this 
house, for I feel that would not be suitable for 
you. But I can and will recommend you to a 
good and cheap lodging, and next to a berth in 
a big office, with which I am connected, as mes- 
senger. You will get good wages for your age, 
and your work will not be too heavy for you. 
It will also be constant as long as you do your 


g6 The Seed of the Righteous 

duty, about which I have no fear. But the 
lodging must be seen to first/’ 

It may seem strange, but while Dick fully 
realized the value of what Mr. Harcourt was 
doing for him, he was yet somewhat disap- 
pointed to think that he wasn’t doing it all him- 
self. He had felt something of a hero while 
he was laying his plans, and now — he seemed 
to be dependent upon somebody else again. So 
it is to be feared that he was not so grateful 
as he might have been while Mr. Harcourt 
was conducting him to the house of an ex-serv- 
ant of his who had married a tradesman in the 
neighborhood, and had a portion of her house 
to let unfurnished. 

Fortunately, Mr. Harcourt knew nothing of 
this, and consequently was able to take a very 
pleasurable interest in the proceedings of hir- 
ing two rooms from Mrs. Freeth at five and 
sixpence per week, and of arranging for her to 
furnish them plainly and sufficiently at a cost 
of five pounds, which Dick in manly fashion 
insisted upon paying, although Mr. Harcourt 
would certainly have done so had it been neces- 
sary. Then with instructions to Dick where 
to call the next day on the business of getting 
the berth mentioned, and with a whispered in- 
struction to Mrs. Freeth to give an eye to the 


Happiness 


97 

two little girls, Mr. Harcourt took his de- 
parture, full of gratification at having, as he 
thought, done some of his Master’s work. 

Dick, left alone with Mrs. Freeth, immedi- 
ately began to discuss ways and means with 
her, finding at once that she was disposed to act 
as if he must do in all things as she wished. 
But Dick had no intention of being in leading- 
strings at all. He wanted to be entirely inde- 
pendent, paying his way and ordering his little 
affairs as he felt able. And so there was 
rather a sharp passage of arms between the 
masterful woman and the lad, which, however, 
ended in an entire victory for the latter, who 
had learned in a severe school the virtue of 
pertinacity, or obstinacy, as it may be called. 

'' O, all right,’" she said at last, with a toss of 
the head, ''have it your own way; but, mind 
ye, if ye an’ your brother an’ sisters don’t 
be’ave yourselves, out ye go, neck an’ crop. I 
wouldn’t keep ye not for forty Mr. Harcourts 
unless ye be’aved yourselves.” 

Dick smiled at this and did not answer; he 
knew better than to talk when he had gained 
his point. He changed the subject immediately 
to the " getting of the sticks in ” as it is col- 
loquially termed, meaning the furnishing of the 
two rooms. And so energetic was he that, to 


98 The Seed of the Righteous 

the surprise of Mrs. Freeth herself, by bedtime 
that night the rooms were ready for their new 
lodgers, and on one of the beds Dick slept, 
peacefully enjoying his well-earned rest. 

Armed with Mr. Harcourt’s recommenda- 
tion, Dick had no difficulty in obtaining the post 
he went to solicit the next morning. His duties 
were of the simplest, and his hours nine till 
five, while the wages, fourteen shillings a week, 
seemed to him wealth beyond belief. It was 
then Thursday, and he was to commence on 
Monday; so he had ample time to arrange the 
transference of his little family, and to settle 
down in his new home. Of his own initiative 
he would never have gone to Mr. Harcourt 
again, but that kindly man came after him, and 
entered into the spirit of his enterprise with so 
much zest that Dick could not but enjoy his 
help. 

When on the following Sunday Dick and 
Jemmy, Susan and Dolly, sat round the little 
table in the larger of the two rooms, and Dick 
served out the dinner from a dish brought by 
Jemmy in triumph from the bakehouse, a breast 
of mutton baked over a dish full of potatoes, 
they were all as happy as kings and queens are 
popularly supposed to be; and Mrs. Freeth, 
peeping in at the door, said to her husband be- 


Happiness 


99 

hind her : '' It's as good as play watchin' the 
darlin's pretendin' they're father an' mother; 
but it makes me cry all the same." 

I do not think it would be possible to exag- 
gerate the amount of delight or add to the sense 
of happiness felt by the little family in their 
freedom and reunion. But unquestionably 
Dick was the happiest of the party, for he had 
attained unto the fulfillment of his desires, and, 
besides, had the supreme joy of feeling that he 
was the responsible head of the new home. 
The others could hardly appreciate their liberty 
as yet, for they felt a sense of restraint, and 
routine habits still clung to them. But when- 
ever they felt a sense as of wrongdoing they 
had only to glance at the shining face of Dick 
to be assured. 

After dinner he took them all for a walk 
down by the river; and although they went 
firmly and decorously enough, their hearts 
swelled with an increasing appreciation of their 
altered condition that added to their happiness 
every minute. And when, tired but delighted, 
they returned to their lodging, and Susan, 
under Dick's direction, made tea and laid the 
table, their cup was full. Indeed, it ran over 
when at nine o’clock Dick gathered them all 
three round him and solemnly thanked God for 


loo The Seed of the Righteous 

the full and complete answer to his prayers. 
Never again in all their lives could they know 
such perfect happiness as they felt in that over- 
flowing hour, the happiness of innocence, satis- 
faction, and love. 


CHAPTER VII 
The Workaday World 

Monday morning the whole family was astir 
at the early hour which had become a habit 
with all of them by reason of their bringing up ; 
and Dick, having made an alliance with Mrs. 
Freeth, departed to his new situation with an 
easy mind, knowing that all would be well until 
his return, for the children could not get into 
much mischief with Mrs. Freeth to keep an eye 
upon them. Jemmy was to take Dolly out to 
play, with all sorts of injunctions not to get 
into mischief or mingle with bad boys — a 
rather superfluous injunction, since London 
boys do not readily admit a strange boy into 
their cliques and gatherings. 

Susan, under Mrs. Freeth’s direction, was to 
be the little housekeeper, and a sense of her 
importance kept her from envying Jemmy and 
Dolly, who were to enjoy an outing. Thus we 
may leave them, and follow Dick to the great 
office where he was to commence his new 
career. He went prepared to meet with all 
sorts of troubles, remembering his ship life ; but 
he was agreeably disappointed. His duties 


102 The Seed of jhe Righteous 

were light, and the other lads who performed 
similar tasks were kindly and well-behaved. 
Being neither stupid nor slow, he soon found 
favor in the eyes of his superiors, and a fear- 
less habit he had of looking at whoever was 
speaking to him straight in the eyes, and 
speaking boldly, yet without impudence, won 
him favor on every hand. 

That was a momentous day for Dick. For 
in it he found his place in the scheme of things. 
Wherever he had been prior to this, from his 
first launching, there had been a hitch in the 
working of the machine. Even in the beautiful 
household of Mr. Harcourt he had somehow 
felt out of place, although no conditions could 
be considered more conducive to a lad’s happi- 
ness than those obtaining there. Here, how- 
ever, he felt perfectly at home. He was asked 
to do nothing that came strange to him, no one 
attempted to bully or browbeat him, and when 
he reached home on the evening of his first 
day’s employment it was with a high and happy 
heart. His joy was not lessened to find await- 
ing him a bright and cheerful room, a blazing 
fire, a tea table neatly spread, and the sullen, 
furtive look gone from the faces of his brother 
and sisters. 

Well, if this were not a record of actual fact. 


The Workaday World 103 

I should have a difficulty in presenting it to you, 
for your experience of youngsters, and that of 
most persons, widely differs from this. But I 
ask you to believe not merely that the picture 
I have drawn for you is true, but that I have 
known personally two other boys who were 
built on exactly the same lines, and who be- 
haved in exactly the same way as my hero at 
the same age. To see Dick sitting at the head 
of his little table beaming upon his family and 
satisfying a healthy appetite at the same time 
was a sight to silence croakers. 

But it was at the same time a sight to make 
certain of our mentors exclaim : '' That boy 
will never get on.” No, he will never get on, 
thank God. He will never trample humanities 
beneath his feet, turn a deaf ear to the claims 
of blood or helplessness ; but he will be happier 
by far than any of those who have never known 
the pinch of hunger or shared their last half- 
penny with one in direr need than themselves. 
I feel that I ought not to waste space in saying 
that Dick, unaware of the discussion of political 
economists or the squabble of parliamentarians, 
thought of none of these things. He and his 
three helpless ones were entirely happy, and 
that was all. They did not trouble their head 
about the future ; that very rightly was in the 


104 The Seed of the Righteous 

hands of One mighty to save; and when Dick 
gathered them round him for family prayer at 
— as he felt — the call of his mother, a peace 
brooded over them all such as the greatest of 
philosophers might sigh for in vain. 

There would really be nothing more to 
record for some time, but that among Dick’s 
many masters at the great office where he was 
employed was a gentleman who held the office 
of superintendent of a huge Sunday school. 
Now, this gentleman was not what I should call 
a good man, although undoubtedly his claim to 
such a grand title would have been allowed by 
most of his coreligionists. By virtue of his 
office, which placed him in a position of author- 
ity, he transacted most of his secular and reli- 
gious extra work in the time paid for by his 
employers, being careful at the same time to 
prevent any of his subordinates doing the same 
thing. He was austere and formal to a degree ; 
and believed poverty to argue incapacity, in- 
ability to look after number one — the main 
article in his creed. He was methodical in his 
charities. Teetotaler and nonsmoker, he yet 
needed a box of matches in his pocket, and 
purchased them once a week from a blind man 
who stood in the main thoroughfare, crediting 
himself with a penny to charity. 


The Workaday World 105 

It must, however, be conceded to him that 
he had the interests of his chapel at heart. It 
came first, I believe, after the acquirement of 
property, which was really his chief aim in life, 
and everything connected with it took almost 
the highest place in his estimation. In addi- 
tion, he was naturally inquisitive, and could not 
rest content without knowing, as far as he was 
allowed, the business of everyone with whom 
he became acquainted. So it befell that, on 
coming into contact with Dick, a few well- 
placed questions put Mr. Saunders in posses- 
sion of the salient facts in Dick’s short but 
eventful history. 

The result of this close questioning was for 
Dick entirely good, because Mr. Saunders im- 
mediately suggested that Dick and his charges 
should become members of his Sunday school, 
a proposition which Dick most gratefully 
accepted, for it filled a gap in his life which 
he had always felt aching. Yet such was his 
shrinking modesty that, had it not been for 
Mr. Saunders taking the initiative, he would 
probably have remained for a long time unat- 
tached and hungry for the shelter of chapel 
and Sunday school. 

Next Sunday, then, clean and neatly dressed, 
the four youngsters presented themselves iu 


io6 The Seed of the Righteous 

good time at South Street Sunday School, 
where they were met by the superintendent 
panoplied in all the dignity of his office. And as 
he was nothing if not thorough in all he under- 
took, before he left them he had seen them duly 
entered upon the books, placed in their re- 
spective classes, and their teachers were in- 
formed that the Hertford family were his 
special care. 

This, it appeared, was all that had been 
wanting to complete the stability of Dick’s little 
household. True, his wages were very small; 
but the rent was only two and six pence a week, 
the rest, unknown to him, being made up by 
Mr. Harcourt in the same secret manner prac- 
ticed by that good man in many other acts of 
love. But then they were well supplied with 
clothes. Susan did the family washing like a lit- 
tle woman, they lived on the plainest and most 
simple food, drinking neither tea nor coffee, 
and so they made both ends meet ; and be sure 
that Dick did not feel any burden laid upon him 
in carrying out his self-imposed task. 

Thus the current of their lives flowed evenly, 
or in a manner that was pathetic in its sim- 
plicity and beautiful in its ordered regularity. 
The only little trouble was occasionally with 
Jemmy, who gave promise of having a very in- 


The Workaday World 107 

dependent spirit, impatient of control of any 
kind. But as none of his escapades were 
serious, and he never went to the length of 
defying Dick's authority altogether, this only 
meant that Dick began to look forward to a 
time when Jemmy would get beyond him, and 
to feel that if the lad were out at work earning 
something, it would tone down his superfluous 
energy by turning it into a proper channel. 

I do not mean to say that Dick actually 
thought in such terms as the above. I am 
aware that among far too many people he will 
be looked upon as a prig already, without hav- 
ing this additional offense laid to his charge; 
but I do mean to say that this was the sub- 
stance of his thoughts and words in consulta- 
tion with Susie, who was fast developing into a 
staid little matron though younger than 
Jemmy. 

An’ whatever he earns, Dick, it'll be a help, 
won't it? " said she, sagely, in one of their dis- 
cussions after Jemmy and Dolly had gone to 
bed. 

""No, Susie,” replied Dick, ""I don’t want 
any of his money. I can earn enough for us all, 
and I’m going to get an eighteen-penny raise 
presently; Mr. Saunders told me so. But 
Jemmy ought to be doing something. If he 


io8 The Seed of the Righteous 

doesn't get a job soon, he'll get into trouble, I 
can see, and he won't mind a word I say soon." 

Dick was shrewd enough to see that Mr. 
Saunders would be the very man to consult 
about getting Jemmy a job, for that worthy 
man, despite the many grave flaws in his make- 
up, was certainly given to such good works as 
putting people in the way of helping them- 
selves. And it did not detract in the least 
from such assistance as he was in the habit of 
giving that he always took great care that it 
should cost him nothing, or that it was always 
confined to members of his congregation and 
Sunday school. At any rate, he knew them 
better, or thought he did, than any of the outer 
world, and indiscriminate help, whether it be 
charitable or not, is often only the result of in- 
dolence and a desire to avoid personal feelings 
of pain. 

To Mr. Saunders, then, Dick went the very 
next day, with a request that, if possible, some- 
thing might be done for his brother, not with 
the object of his earning money, but of his 
being kept out of mischief. Mr. Saunders 
listened judicially and cross-examined Dick 
very closely, learning more of the family his- 
tory than he had ever known before. Then 
when Dick had been pumped dry Mr. Saunders 


The Workaday World 109 

said, magisterially: Very well, I will see what 
can be done. Stay behind school next Sunday 
with your brother, that I may have a talk with 
him. That will do just now.'' 

With that Dick was fain to be content, but 
he had learned enough of Mr. Saunders by this 
time to know that, though he was pompous, 
inquisitive, and dictatorial, he always promised 
less than he intended to perform, and that his 
word was his bond. So when Dick went home 
that night he told Susie that he felt sure it was 
all right, and that he would not have to trouble 
Mr. Harcourt. Does it seem strange to you, 
reader, that a boy should feel loath to go to a 
friend for help who is always willing, nay 
anxious, to do so? Then let me tell you that 
I enjoy the friendship of a man now who as a 
boy had a patron as generous as Mr. Harcourt, 
a boy of the arab, or lowest London, class. 
After one great act of kindness received by his 
wealthy patron, that boy, though encouraged to 
do so by letter and word, never again accepted 
the smallest help from his friend, nor ever 
approached him save at stated intervals, very 
far apart, to report progress, because he con- 
ceived it to be his duty to do so. And for thirty 
years that boy and man struggled on in London 
rearing a family of ten on thirty shillings a 


no The Seed of the Righteous 

week with credit to himself and them, and 
never an appeal to the fountain of charity, 
ready to flow at a word. 

I feel that in these days of wholesale pau- 
perization it is well to know that such a spirit 
of real manliness does exist, and that not 
merely among the seasoned veterans in life’s 
battle but among the very young, even amid the 
most unfavorable surroundings. 

Mr. Saunders was, as usual, better than his 
word, and in a week Jemmy was apprenticed 
to a shoemaker in the King’s Road, a member 
of South Street Chapel, who could be depended 
upon to keep Jemmy out of mischief if full em- 
ployment would accomplish that desirable feat. 
The result was entirely satisfactory, except to 
Dolly, who missed her playmate, for Jemmy be- 
came an inmate of his master’s house, and his 
family only saw him on Sundays for brief in- 
tervals. And then he appeared to have become 
so filled with a sense of his importance and 
prospects that the rest of them speedily got tired 
of him and his boastings, especially as he never 
by any chance seemed to recognize that he 
owed any gratitude to Dick, for which the two 
girls loudly upbraided him ; but Dick spoke no 
word. 

So Jemmy gradually drifted away from the 


The Workaday World hi 

little family, finding interests that were not 
theirs ; but still he kept up his association with 
South Street, both Sunday school and chapel, 
and so Dick’s heart, though somewhat sad- 
dened at the apparent callousness toward him 
and his sisters shown by Jemmy, was not 
troubled by the idea that Jemmy was staying 
away. Dick, indeed, was akin in mind to the 
conscientious father of a family, who having 
launched a child on the world, feels that he 
has done his part, and that it now remains for 
the child to do his, buttressed by many prayers 
for his well-being. The father has the other 
children still at home to think of, and should 
now be relieved of some worry connected with 
the absent one, at any rate. 

Well, Jemmy passes out of our purview for 
some time, and Dolly, sweet, wayward little 
Dolly, the family pet, comes up for considera- 
tion. She was getting a big girl now, full of 
vigor and spirits. She was twelve years of age 
and bigger than Susie, who was a year older. 
Yet Susie was most womanly, and thoughtful 
beyond her years. This, perhaps, was owing 
to her having certain duties thrust upon her, 
and also because she had a certain tempera- 
mental likeness to Dick, who was born to inter- 
est himself in everyone else’s welfare before his 


1 12 The Seed of the Righteous 

own, and in whose mental equipment selfish- 
ness had no place. 

Reports began to arrive from the school 
which Dolly attended of her unruly behavior 
and occasional truancy, and it would have been 
ludicrous, had it not been so pathetic, to see the 
sixteen-year-old Dick gravely sitting in judg- 
ment upon rebellious Dolly, and racking his 
young brains for means whereby he might 
restrain her and keep her in the straight way 
of rectitude. 

Help came in a most unexpected fashion. 
One of Dick’s office associates was an enthusi- 
astic learner of the Tonic Sol-fa system of 
music-teaching. He was so full of it that he 
was in danger of becoming a nuisance, for he 
was instant in and out of season impressing 
his views as to its virtues upon all with whom 
he came in contact. Presently Dick fell under 
his spell, and after an impromptu lesson or so 
became almost as enthusiastic as his teacher, 
who immediately carried the news to Mr. 
Saunders, a veritable professor of the art in 
his scanty spare moments. The result of this 
happy intervention was that on sundry even- 
ings each week Dick, Susie, and Dolly were to 
be found at a certain hall, where, for sheer love 
of music and delight at being able to impart a 


The Workaday World 113 

knowledge of it to others, young men and 
women labored strenuously. 

This new occupation proved a veritable god- 
send to both Dolly and Susie. There were no 
more complaints from the school, and Susie 
lost the look of the patient drudge that she 
had begun to wear; for were there not these 
blessed evenings to look forward to and pre- 
pare for, when they were enveloped in a con- 
cord of sweet sounds of their own making, an 
entirely innocent and delightful means of put- 
ting in such spare time as they had? And, joy 
of joys, one evening when Sue and Dolly were 
practicing a rather difficult part song which 
was to be sung the following night, there came 
a tap at the door and in walked Mr. Harcourt. 

Years afterward that kindly man was wont 
to say that he could never remember so 
delightful and happy an evening as that. As 
soon as the first little commotion caused by 
his arrival had subsided, and the matter they 
had been engaged in had been explained to 
him, he settled down in a corner of the room 
and insisted upon their going on, for, as he 
said, they could not be shy with him. And, 
sure enough, they presently forgot his presence, 
being so engrossed in their performance, while 
he sat entranced at the sight of these three 


1 14 The Seed of the Righteous 

children thus beautifully and happily employed 
without any compulsion or supervision what- 
ever. 

At last the lesson was pronounced by Dick 
to be duly learned, and then Mr. Harcourt, 
wisely refraining from much comment upon 
what he had just witnessed, began to ask about 
progress generally. The answers he received, 
given in all frankness and innocence, were such 
that he found it difficult, being a man of highly 
emotional temperament, to restrain his tears. 
But he was quite unable to bring forth the 
chief object of his visit, which had been to re- 
lieve Dick of the care of his two sisters. With 
the happy domestic scene before him he felt 
that for some years, at any rate, it would be 
quite wrong to interfere in any way with what 
was going so well, and so he very wisely for- 
bore to mention the real object of his visit. But 
being essentially a man of simple, lovable 
nature, he made himself quite at home, so that 
his juvenile hosts forgot to regard him as the 
grand gentleman; and when at last he parted 
from them it was with a very light heart as 
well as a sense of profound thankfulness. 

A year rolled swiftly away, and found 
Jemmy almost a stranger to the family circle, 
nay really looking down upon them from his 


The Workaday World 115 

sublime height of being commended by his 
master as a first-rate workman who could learn 
anything he chose to turn his hands to. Not 
one spark of gratitude for the care and love 
shown to him by Dick remained; it was all 
crowded out by arrogance and self-satisfaction. 
Pride in his own abilities choked out his better 
nature, and since upon his infrequent visits he 
never had anything to talk about but himself, 
he speedily discovered that this exclusive 
topic became unwelcome, and he presently 
ceased to come at all. But as Dick heard 
nothing but good of him through Mr. 
Saunders, he very sensibly did not worry about 
him. 

Dick had now reached a salary of fifteen 
shillings and sixpence a week, and Susie had 
become so useful to Mrs. Freeth during the 
day that there was now nothing to pay for 
rent. Gifts of clothing, too, had been mys- 
teriously made, so carefully that no sense of 
obligation had been incurred by the little group, 
and in consequence of this relief the nest-egg in 
the Post Office Bank was being added to in- 
stead of being encroached upon. Both Dick 
and Susie had so far advanced in their music 
that they were now the proud possessors of 
certificates, and able to give lessons as well as 


ii6 The Seed of the Righteous 

receive them. And Dick was a teacher of rare 
promise in the Sunday school, able to hold the 
attention of his class in fine style when other 
classes were fidgeting and getting out of hand. 

Then in quick succession came three heavy 
blows. Dolly, at the instance of Mr. Saunders, 
was taken into a great household at South 
Kensington to be fitted for domestic duties, and 
thenceforward came scarcely ever to see her 
brother and sister. Then Susie became rest- 
less. Much as she loved her brother, she was, 
after all, but a young girl, with her own ideas 
of life to consult, and at last she, with a few 
tears and much hesitation, confessed to Dick 
that she had been discussing matters with Mrs. 
Freeth, who had concurred in her opinion that 
she ought to get on in the world, and had of- 
fered to introduce her to a big house where 
she would learn to be a domestic of the best 
type. Dick, who, without losing any of his 
first-rate qualities, had certainly grown to re- 
gard himself as being an essential factor to his 
sisters’ happiness, listened in silence, but with 
a sick feeling at his heart. 

And the very next day he fell ill and had 
to be carried off to Saint George’s Hospital. 


CHAPTER VIII 
Development 

Dick^s first feeling after being put to bed 
and made comfortable was of profound grati- 
tude for what he felt had been the marvelous 
sequence of events. For in his old head he 
had often pondered over the possibility of his 
being incapacitated, or even killed, and won- 
dered, with a trembling sense of helplessness, 
whatever his dependents would do in such a 
case. Now he could only lie and thank God for 
the security with which all his little affairs had 
been arranged. There was absolutely nothing 
for him to worry his head about, least of all his 
employment, which he had been told was abso- 
lutely assured to him, so that all he had to do 
was to address himself whole-heartedly to the 
business of getting well. 

His ailment, though a very serious one, was 
not painful to bear, and did not affect his men- 
tal powers at all, so that he could really enjoy 
the long rest. Right from the outset he became 
a prime favorite with doctors and nurses, who 
were deeply interested in this boy with the 
serious manner of an elderly father of a family. 


ii8 The Seed of the Righteous 

who had none of the frivolity of youth or its 
restlessness either — in fact, as one of the nurses 
put it, '' he looks as if he was born to bear other 
people’s burdens.” But his ready, bright smile 
and eager gratitude for any kindness, however 
small, created quite an atmosphere of satisfac- 
tion in his ward. Other patients were ashamed 
to grumble and give trouble when they saw 
how Dick was bearing his trouble. Uncon- 
sciously all of them began to try to imitate him 
with more or less satisfactory results. 

Every day Mr. Harcourt, putting off 
weighty business, came and sat by his bedside 
for half an hour, for, being a governor of the 
hospital, there were no special visiting days for 
him. These visits were the most delightful epi- 
sodes possible to Dick, for Mr. Harcourt was a 
man of peculiarly bright and happy tempera- 
ment, with a rich fund of humor and a power 
of putting everybody at his ease which was 
invaluable. He had formed a great affection 
for the steady, serious lad, and thought no 
trouble too great in order to serve him in the 
only way that was really helpful. 

Then on visiting days Mr. Saunders came, 
bringing with him an air of officialism and 
patronage which he himself would have been 
the last to suspect. He always brought news 


Development 


119 

of the office, the Sunday school, and the singing 
classes, and conveyed, in rather a lofty manner 
it is true, but still he did convey, the impression 
to Dick that he was much missed in these three 
different quarters, and that they would all be 
very glad to see him back again. Then Mr. 
Saunders would take his leave, having dis- 
charged what he felt to be a duty at consider- 
able inconvenience to himself, but alas, from 
a temperamental defect over which he had no 
control, leaving behind him a sense of relief 
that his visit was over. 

So, taken altogether, it is not too much to 
say that those hospital days were to Dick the 
choicest of his life. He had known neglect, 
loneliness, cruelty, hunger, and the hardest toil ; 
he was now in a pleasant backwater of the 
great stream of life where the sun shone, kindly 
voices murmured helpful things, and the stress 
of the great world-conflict without only came 
in subdued murmurs. On every hand he re- 
ceived loving-kindness, and the more grateful 
he became the more everybody seemed deter- 
mined to show him that he should receive still 
more kindness. 

There was one bitter drop, however, in his 
overflowing cup of joy. None of his own came 
to see him. He knew, of course, how they were 


120 The Seed of the Righteous 

situated, and did not expect too much ; but he 
felt soul-hunger for his own flesh and blood. 
That, of course, was because he had spent him- 
self for them. He was unconsciously obeying 
the law that compels us to love those for whom 
we sacrifice ourselves far more than those who 
sacrifice themselves for us. 

More than that, he did not even know how 
they were behaving in respect to their various 
occupations. If any of his visitors were in 
a position to tell him, they did not do so, but 
confined themselves to generalities and plati- 
tudes which even he could see the meaning of. 
Still, he got a great deal of comfort out of 
his belief, doubly instilled by heredity and ex- 
perience, in the overseeing power and goodness 
of God; and he did not, could not, worry, but 
grew in faith and love toward all. In fine, his 
stay in the hospital ward was both seedtime 
and harvest of his soul. 

The spring was well advanced when the 
doctor came to Dick’s ward and told him 
that he might go for a good walk in the 
park opposite, just then aglow all down one 
side with the beauties of hyacinths and tulips. 
Dick gratefully obeyed, and with a strange, 
unreal feeling as of being out of place in this 
wonderful, beautiful world, yet with an almost 


Development 


I2I 


choking sensation of thankfulness for all the 
happiness he was enjoying, he strolled quietly 
about, drinking in the sweet air, and enjoying 
sights and scents and sounds as he had never 
done before. He felt, however, that he was 
easily fatigued, and, consequently, glad to avail 
himself of the seats scattered about. And when 
he returned he was closely examined by the 
doctor as to his feelings, and, having answered 
all the questions satisfactorily, was told that 
he might go out every fine day for a week, and 
at the end of that time he probably would be 
fit for work again. 

As the time approached when he expected 
to resume his place in the workaday world, 
he was torn with conflicting feelings. He 
had been so happy, his life had been so easy, 
and the love showered upon him had been so 
pleasant, that he felt loath to part with it all; 
yet he had been also accumulating energy, and 
he needed an outlet for it, so that he was really 
eager for the work which he knew lay before 
him. More than that, he yearned in secret to 
find out how his brother and sisters were far- 
ing; for he could not rid himself of the idea 
that he was directly responsible for them to his 
mother in heaven. 

A few days later, when able for the journey. 


122 The Seed of the Righteous 

it is hardly to be wondered at that he went 
straight to the places where he could get news 
of his dear ones. That day was one of the 
darkest he had yet endured. He first called 
upon Jemmy, who received him with a sullen 
air of independence, almost resentful, and in 
the course of a very short conversation gave 
him to understand that he. Jemmy, was going 
his own way, didn’t intend to be in leading- 
strings held by Dick, and much more to the 
same effect. Dick came away deeply wounded, 
and yet in some corner of his mind there was a 
sense of relief. He knew that he had done his 
duty; if Jemmy ignored his obligations, that 
was a matter that Dick could neither help nor 
hinder, and so he was wise enough to leave it 
where he left all his other troubles. 

The meeting with the girls troubled him 
more. Had he been older and wiser, he would 
have expected something of the kind; but he 
turned to his sisters with a feeling that they 
at least would cling to him, no matter what 
Jemmy might do or say. But he felt that they 
had already formed their own acquaintances, 
had accepted a certain routine of life in which 
he had no place, and, although they were gush- 
ingly affectionate, he realized that they too had 
gone beyond his reach. 


Development 


123 

For the first time he felt himself alone in 
the world. Bitter were his thoughts concern- 
ing ingratitude, etc. ; but the past eight weeks 
in the hospital had not been wasted on him, 
and he felt comforted and uplifted in his hour 
of trial by the knowledge that if those for 
whom he had spent the best of his thoughts 
and energies had ungratefully turned against 
him, there were others who owed him nothing, 
but were prepared to assume a debt by no 
means their own for the sake of pure, unselfish 
love. 

After this week of preparation and gradu- 
ally returning strength there came the day that 
Dick had dreaded, the day of parting with all 
the dear friends he had made in the hospital. 
And they were sorry to lose him too, for his 
gentleness and amiability had endeared him to 
them all; in fact, there were tears in some of 
the nurses’ eyes as they bade him good-by and 
listened to his halting words of thanks as he 
turned away from what had indeed been a 
home of rest to him. 

Arriving at his old lodgings, he was quite 
unprepared to find Mrs. Freeth waiting for him 
with a glowing welcome. Not that he and his 
landlady had ever been on other than peaceful 
terms, but there had never been any very great 


124 The Seed of the Righteous 

cordiality between them since Dick, upon their 
first meeting, so quietly asserted himself, and 
gave Mrs. Freeth to understand that he did not 
wish her to interfere with his family concerns 
unasked. But she was a really good woman, 
and her heart went out to the quiet, well- 
behaved lad who, after such strenuous exer- 
tions for others, was now, at a most dan- 
gerous period of life, left, as she thought, all 
alone. This sufficiently accounted for the 
warmth of her welcome, but she could not know 
of Dick’s resources against what she supposed 
would be his terrible loneliness. 

Nevertheless, he was quite grateful for this 
mark of affection, and took tea with Mrs. 
Freeth, hearing such scanty news of his brother 
and sisters as she was able to give. It was not 
unsatisfactory, except that Jemmy had appar- 
ently determined to go his own way entirely, 
having cut himself off from both chapel and 
Sunday school. But his behavior at his busi- 
ness seemed good, and for that Dick was thank- 
ful. Susie, Mrs. Freeth told him with a certain 
pride, as if she had no small share in the matter, 
was doing excellently well, had become a prime 
favorite with the housekeeper, and had been 
promoted to be an under-parlormaid, for which 
her good manners and genteel bearing emi- 


Development 


125 

nently fitted her. Dolly she had never seen but 
once, but she had heard from Susie that she 
was getting on very well indeed. 

So Dick felt content, satisfied that his work 
had been well done, and if he did crave for 
sight and touch of his own flesh and blood — all 
that he had in the world — ^he could not help 
feeling that freedom to fight his own way in 
the world was not a bad thing after all. And 
after a little rearrangement of domestic details 
with Mrs. Freeth, whereby he relinquished one 
room and took his breakfast and tea with her, 
he went to bed and slept the care-free slumber 
of innocent health. 

The next day being Sunday he awoke with 
delightful anticipations. A love of the service 
of worship and praise and ministering was bred 
in him, although, as we have seen, his parents 
had but little opportunity to gratify their de- 
sires in that direction. So wrapped up was he 
in the joy of the coming day that except for 
feeling a tightness in various parts of his body 
and a coolness at wrists and ankles he was un- 
aware that his best clothes were now far too 
small for him, and that he was likely to be an 
object of derision to boys in the street. Mrs. 
Freeth did not mend matters by making some 
disparaging remarks about his appearance, and 


126 The Seed of the Righteous 

suggesting that he had better stay indoors that 
day, and get some new clothes as soon as possi- 
ble. This brought the color to his face and a 
defiant ring to his voice as he gave her to 
understand that nothing of that kind should or 
could hinder him from going to Sunday school 
or chapel. 

Yet when he heard the rude remarks of 
youngsters in the streets, and the tittering 
mingled with the undoubtedly cordial welcome 
he received from the teachers and Mr. 
Saunders, he felt that he was paying quite a 
sufficient price for his determination to let 
nothing keep him away. It spoiled his day, 
made him feel restless and unhappy, as well as 
annoyed, to think that clothes could make all 
this difference; and he vowed that the next 
day should not pass without his getting some 
new garments, thankfully reflecting that he 
was quite well furnished with money for the 
purpose. 

There is no need to dwell upon his reception 
at the office next day, for beyond the satisfac- 
tory experience that both equals and superiors 
expressed their pleasure at seeing him back 
again and looking so well, he slipped quietly 
into the old groove, as if he had only just left 
it the day before. But before the day was out 


Development 


127 

he was conscious of new power, not merely 
in physical strength, though that was strongly 
noticeable, but greater mental ability, readiness 
to grasp the inner meaning of the orders he 
received, to act in the spirit as well as the letter 
of his work, which made him walk with a firmer 
step, carry himself more erect, and speak in a 
more confident tone than he had done before. 

It was, therefore, with a feeling that it would 
be quite well worth it, that he received the 
news of a further advance in his salary of 
eighteenpence a week, bringing it up to the 
by no means contemptible figure of seventeen 
shillings a week, which to a lad of his frugal 
habits was positive affluence, enabling him to 
add at least five shillings every week to the 
nest-egg cosily lying in the Post Office Savings 
Bank. So methodical and old-fashioned were 
his ways, and so careful was he to mind his 
own business, that even Mr. Saunders, who 
loved to treat everyone with whom he came 
in contact as if they were under his special 
charge (which is a curious way some entirely 
unlovable men have got), interfered very little 
with Dick as he found how self-possessed and 
manly the young fellow had become. 

This, however, was only on the business side 
of him. At chapel or Sunday school he gave 


128 The Seed of the Righteous 

his lovable nature full play, and at the singing 
classes he seemed to be uplifted into a beautiful 
world of his own whither annoyances or 
troubles of any kind never came. And he was 
so humbly helpful with it all that none were 
envious of him or spoke unkindly of him, save 
those foolish members of his own sex who 
called him conceited and other ill-suited names 
because outside of the hall he had no tastes in 
common with them. 

Not that he was in no danger of becoming 
unduly impressed by a sense of his own impor- 
tance. For now he entered himself on the 
books of the Birkbeck Institution for several 
subjects which he felt would be of use to him, 
and soon discovered that although his early 
education had been very perfunctory, almost 
useless in fact, except that he had learned to 
read very well, his ability and energy were such 
that he was able to hold his own with lads of 
his own age who had been blessed with every 
educational advantage up till thirteen or four- 
teen years old. And when that knowledge 
comes to a young man, it is as heady as wine. 
Without something to counterbalance the ten- 
dency it is almost unreasonable to expect that 
a young fellow will not get above himself/’ 
as we say. 


Development 


129 

Dick, too, at this time, it must be remem- 
bered, had no home influences whatever, for 
he never could grow so fond of Mrs. Freeth 
as to take her into his confidence. And as the 
time wore on, and he saw nothing of his 
brother and sisters, he found himself thinking 
less and less about them, and except for the 
outlet of Sunday school and singing class, more 
and more wrapped up in himself. 

But if I have failed to impress you with my 
firm and fervent belief that Dick was under the 
special protection of Divine Providence, as if, 
indeed, his beloved mother’s spirit had been 
permitted to watch over him, I am truly a 
bungler. So much did this guardianship ap- 
pear to be the case, that at this critical junc- 
ture, when Dick was in undoubted danger of 
being utterly spoiled, something happened that, 
looking like a terrible calamity at first, became 
indeed a disguised blessing. 

Going home one night late from the Birk- 
beck, when he had been a student at the Insti- 
tion for about six months, he was admitted as 
usual by Mrs. Freeth, who said, coldly: 
Your brother’s upstairs waitin’ for ye.” 

Dick answered lightly, not noticing her tone, 
O, is he ? I’m glad of that,” and went bound- 
ing upstairs. But when, bursting into the 


130 The Seed of the Righteous 

room, he saw his brother’s face, his own fell, 
his outstretched hand dropped by his side, and 
he cried: O, Jemmy, what have you been 
doing? ” 

He might well ask the question, for Jemmy, 
never able to conceal his feelings well, wore a 
look of utter, reckless despair. There was 
fierce sullenness in it, too, defiance of anybody 
and everybody who should dare to or care to 
interfere with him. In dogged tones he an- 
swered: Nothing to make a song about, nor 

yet to be looked at as if I was Cain. I’ve got 
the " push,’ that’s all.” 

Got discharged ! ” gasped Dick, who had 
learned to hate slang, and, indeed, had never 
used it much. 

Yes,” mimicked Jemmy, got discharged, 
if you like that better.” 

There was silence for a few minutes while 
Dick, who had sunk into a chair, tried to grasp 
the situation. At last he said : But how could 
Mr. Hawkins discharge you? You were ap- 
prenticed, bound to him for four years ! ” 

Can’t help that,” replied Jemmy. '' He told 
me to clear out, and said if ever I came into 
his shop again, he would put me away where 
the dogs wouldn’t bite me for a long time to 
come.” 


Development 


131 

But/’ persisted Dick, whatever can you 
have done to make Mr. Hawkins behave like 
that to you? I heard that you were going on 
all right, so, although I was sorry — you don’t 
know how sorry — that you didn’t come to 
chapel, I felt I’d better not interfere.” 

Well,” replied Jemmy, '' it wasn’t much, 
after all. I got in with a lot of lads around 
there that was doin’ somethin, and all had 
money. I used to go with ’em whenever I 
could ; I had to have some company, of course ; 
and they used to always stand the beer and the 
fags and sometimes a feed. And on Sundays 
we used to go down by the river in the meadows 
there, and they’d play pitch-and-toss. I never 
had no money, so I couldn’t play, and some of 
the blokes was always snacking at me being 
in their gang and never paying for anything or 
playing. So I had a fight or two over it, and 
then I didn’t see why old Hawkins should have 
me there doing a journeyman’s work for noth- 
ing and I helped myself to a bob or two out 
of the till. He said I had some boots, too ; but 
he’s a liar, I never had none. And, anyhow, 
he wouldn’t a-known nothing about it if I 
hadn’t been a fool and got too much beer one 
Sunday night; and when I come home he 
pitched into me, the coward, and went through 


132 The Seed of the Righteous 

my pockets and found about five bob. And 
then he put what he called two and two together 
and kicked me out. And there you are.’’ 

Poor Dick! He felt no anger against his 
brother, only stunned horror. Drunkenness, 
gambling, theft! Was he responsible? Had 
he failed in his trust? And what might not 
the girls be doing, for all he knew ? He could 
not think coherently, he could only sit and 
stare in front of him at vacancy, until Jemmy 
said: Don’t take it so to heart, Dick; I’m 

sorry I’ve been such a bad ’un, but I’ll do bet- 
ter now. ’Taint your fault, anyhow.” 

Pm not so sure about that, Jemmy,” an- 
swered Dick, wearily; perhaps if I’d kept my 
eye on you a little closer, it wouldn’t have hap- 
pened. I’m not blaming you, Jemmy; I’m 
blaming myself and Mr. Hawkins as well. But 
O, I’m so glad poor mother isn’t alive to know 
it. Poor mother ! O, Jemmy.” 

Jemmy burst into a paroxysm of tears, and 
flung himself on Dick’s neck, sobbing out: 

Dick, Dick, don’t. If you’d have dressed me 
down to rights, I could have stood it; but I 
can’t stand this. I am a bad ’un; but, please 
God, I’ll do better. If I can’t do nothing else I 
can go abroad and not do anything more to 
make trouble for dear old Dick, father and 


Development 


133 

mother and brother and all in one. Do forgive 
me, Dick.^^ 

I must pass over the scene that followed until 
Dick and Jemmy, seated together over a sup- 
per of fried fish, were able to discuss the situa- 
tion calmly with respect to the future. But in 
that short hour or two Dick had received the 
check that he needed, and Jemmy had learned 
— it was revealed to him as by a lightning flash 
— what his brother’s love for him really was, a 
lesson he never forgot. 


CHAPTER IX 
Ideals 

Dick awoke the next morning with a load 
on his mind. He did not know what to do 
about Jemmy, except that he must tell Mr. 
Saunders and take his opinion. He felt very 
doubtful of the line that gentleman would take, 
and knew the possibility of its being a most 
unpleasant one. But having given Jemmy the 
money to get his dinner, and asked him in an 
off-hand sort of way to keep away from those 
acquaintances of his who had been of such ill 
service to him, he strode away to the office in 
quite a different mood from that in which he 
usually went to work. 

His interview with Mr. Saunders was pain- 
ful, and he had continually to curb his desire to 
speak hotly. For Mr. Saunders believed in 
justice, not mercy, and he had nothing but 
I’eprobation for Jemmy, for whose conduct he 
felt personally responsible, since he had recom- 
mended him to Mr. Hawkins. Of course he 
had never a word of censure for Dick, and 
this, in Dick's present frame of mind, only 
added fuel to the fire of his anger. However, 
134 


Ideals 


135 

he kept his own counsel, though with great 
difficulty. 

Finally Mr. Saunders, having vindicated his 
position, as he thought, said : The only thing 
that I can recommend for your brother is 
emigration, and it is the only way in which I 
will help him. In a new country he may do 
better, but I do not know. However, you may 
consider this, and let me know.’’ 

Dick thanked him, and that evening sought 
Mr. Harcourt’s help for the first time. As he 
explained the good man’s heart went out to 
him, full of sympathy and love. When he had 
finished, Mr. Harcourt said: 'Wery well, 
Dick; we’ll see about your brother for you. 
He’ll be all right yet. You be perfectly easy in 
your mind about him, and I’ll talk to Mr. 
Saunders. By the way, send Jemmy to me. 
Tell him to be here at ten tomorrow morning. 
And don’t worry about your sisters. Call and 
see them occasionally by all means; but don’t 
blame yourself for neglect. Now, good-by, and 
God bless you.” 

The end of that week saw Jemmy Hert- 
ford on his way to Australia full of hope, 
and gratitude to the good brother to whom 
he owed so much. All had been arranged 
by Mr. Harcourt, even to the day’s leave 


136 The Seed of the Righteous 

which Dick had been granted to go and see 
him off. The two girls were there too. 
Really, it was wonderful, thought Dick, how 
Mr. Harcourt seemed able to arrange every- 
thing; and they had such a reunion as did 
them all good. But the net result of the 
whole business to Dick was just what he 
needed, and from thenceforward a change was 
noted in him, a change which led one of his 
workfellows to remark: ^‘Dick isn't half as 
fresh as he used to be." 

Now I come to the next development of my 
hero's character. He had noticed with some 
curious clawings at his heart that certain boys 
came to Sunday school for a few weeks, and 
then were either expelled for bad behavior, 
or ceased to come for reasons of their own. 
And the idea took possession of him that here, 
perhaps, was a way in which he might show 
his genuine repentance and sorrow for the 
grievous fall of his brother. Perhaps these 
boys were all right in themselves; they cer- 
tainly had leanings toward the good, or they 
wouldn't have come to Sunday school at all, 
and they only wanted sympathetic handling to 
show what good there really was in them. 

So he went to Mr. Saunders and unfolded 
his scheme for reaching and holding these 


Ideals 


137 

rough and undesirable lads. To his dismay, 
Mr. Saunders would have nothing to do with 
it. To his orderly mind the boy who would 
not behave in Sunday school was an outcast, 
a pariah, and could only be dealt with by 
ejection. What became of him afterward was 
his own concern. For Mr. Saunders had never 
rightly grasped the meaning of the divine dic- 
tum, For the Son of man is come to seek and 
to save that which was lost'' His concern was 
not at all with the lost, but with those who 
professed to be saved and could behave them- 
selves. 

The upshot of the conversation was that 
Dick quietly announced to Mr. Saunders, much 
to the latter’s annoyance, his intention of tak- 
ing a hall somewhere for the purpose of con- 
ducting a Sunday school for boys who had been 
pronounced hopeless elsewhere. He avowed 
his belief that many, if not all, of those boys 
were full of possibilities, but they had not been 
fairly dealt with. This made Mr. Saunders 
bristle with anger. That anyone could ques- 
tion the actions based upon his long experience 
savored .of sacrilege; he could not admit any 
controversy on the subject, being perfectly con- 
vinced that he was right. 

The interview ended by Mr. Saunders loftily 


138 The Seed of the Righteous 

disavowing any further connection with Dick, 
whom he characterized as puffed up with a 
sense of his own importance out of all propor- 
tion to his abilities. He further said that he 
would not have Dick any longer as a member 
of his school or chapel, unless he became more 
amenable to discipline and thought less of him- 
self. Dick listened gravely and silently; but 
this youngster had an inflexible will, and hav- 
ing made up his mind as to the right course 
he ought to take, nothing ordinary would turn 
him from that way. 

So in perfectly respectful words he informed 
Mr. Saunders that his mind was made up, and 
that, deeply as he regretted setting himself up 
in opposition to Mr. Saunders, he was com- 
pelled to act as he was doing by a power out- 
side of himself. So they parted with quite con- 
centrated anger on the part of the man and real 
sorrow on that of the boy; and I am ashamed 
to say that in business matters for a very long 
while afterward Dick was made to feel what it 
had cost him to oppose Mr. Saunders. 

But Dick was perfectly happy on the first 
Sunday when, in a tumble-down sort of hall in 
Kennington, of which he and three other young 
fellows whom he had infected with his enthu- 
siasm had made themselves responsible for the 


Ideals 


139 

rent — a huge matter of ten shillings a week for 
two meetings on a Sunday of two hours each — 
he presided over a gathering of about twenty 
lads of from fourteen to eighteen years of age. 

It would be quite safe to say that nearly all 
of them, though personally solicited by those 
who had their welfare at heart, had come with 
the expressed or implied intention of '' having 
a lark.’’ But I do believe that, had they known 
of the self-sacrificing labors of Dick and his 
friends, of the expenditure of hard-earned 
money and equally precious time that had gone 
to the opening of this extraordinary little 
Sunday school, they would not have behaved 
as they did. For in ten minutes from the time 
that Dick had opened with prayer and a hymn 
the place was in a state of horrible uproar. All 
the scholars were smoking, and all were en- 
deavoring to show as plainly as they were able 
their utter contempt for religion in any shape 
or form there presented to them. It was a 
curious experience, and one which Dick’s most 
reliable helper declared he would not face again 
for any consideration whatever. Dick, how- 
ever, went on in a strange, detached manner, as 
though he were not in the least surprised nor 
in any way worried. At last, as at a given 
signal, the scholars rose, flung away their 


140 The Seed of the Righteous 

almost smoked-out cigarettes, and began to 
wreck the place. 

Ah ! your London lad of the lowest class is, 
taken in the mass, a cowardly savage; in the 
absence of any power sufficiently strong to in- 
flict punishment of a painful kind, he will do 
strange things. And so it came about that 
Dick presently found himself alone in the place, 
his clothes ruined, his flesh scratched and 
bruised, and the woodwork of the hall in 
fragments around him. 

Of course that experience put an end to 
Dick’s personal scheme of beneyolence toward 
his fellows, as he thought them. But he was 
in nowise defeated or dismayed. So after he 
had repaired damages that evening and had 
explained his experience to Mrs. Freeth, he 
set himself to some hard thinking as to what 
move he should make next. The idea of 
giving up never entered his head, although he 
was quite willing to try another method, for 
although pertinacious he was not obstinate. 
That night he prayed hard about it, never 
doubting that he was called to the work, but 
desiring earnestly to be guided in the right 
way of doing it. 

He felt wonderfully refreshed after his com- 
munion with the Father. No revelation came 


Ideals 


141 

to him, no new idea, nothing but a sense of 
being all right, which is so real yet so impossi- 
ble to explain. When he went to the office that 
Monday morning, it was with the air of a con- 
queror, and certainly showing no sign of hav- 
ing sustained only on the previous day what 
most people would have called a disastrous 
defeat. 

During the dinner hour, which, if fine, he 
usually spent in a recreation ground near at 
hand with one of his fellows, he felt moved 
to tell the tale of yesterday's experiences to 
the young man who generally went with him. 
Now, Dick was, as I have before pointed out, 
a reticent, self-contained lad, not at all given 
to discussing his own business, and so their 
midday conversations were usually about official 
matters. Therefore when today Dick began to 
set forth the happenings of Sunday his com- 
panion listened intently as if afraid of losing a 
word. 

When Dick had finished, he said casually, 
I should think you wouldn't want to go 
through that again. It's plain they don't want 
you, anyhow." 

Dick flushed, as he replied: No, they don't 
want me, but I want them. And, God helping 
me, I'll never give them up. They're splendid 


142 The Seed of the Righteous 

fellows, I'm sure, if they were only on the right 
road. I shall learn better how to deal with 
them presently; but I’ll never give them up.” 

Dick’s companion looked at him curiously for 
a few moments without speaking, as if sizing 
him up mentally, and then said slowly : I 
should think you would be the kind of chap that 
old Jackson would like to get hold of. He runs 
a mission down our way — sort of Methodist 
affair, though I don’t think he’s one of the reg- 
ular ones, and it’s quite a pastime for the boys 
to get in there and break up a meeting. He 
seems to get a rare lot of ’em there, though, 
and some people say he does a lot of good.” 

In a moment Dick was eagerly asking for 
information as to this man’s whereabouts, and 
carefully noting them down with a firm deter- 
mination to visit him the next Wednesday 
evening when it appeared that he held a mid- 
week meeting, indoors in winter and outdoors 
on an adjacent common in summer. In the 
meantime there was the secular interest of life 
not to be neglected, and Dick threw himself 
into his work and studies with redoubled 
energy, being cheered immensely by the knowl- 
edge that his superiors looked upon him 
benevolently as being a youngster with a head 
upon his shoulders. Also a letter from Susie, 


Ideals 


143 

full of enthusiasm about her new life and the 
way she was getting on in it, gave him great 
pleasure and made him feel that if mother was 
looking down, she would be pleased to think 
that all was well with her loved ones. 

For the memory of his mother was the cen- 
tral factor in Dick’s life. Around him always 
there was an aroma, an atmosphere of holy in- 
fluence, which, like the globule of air in the 
nest of the water-spider, kept him from spir- 
itual contact with evil. It was all around him, 
but could not touch him. In certain circles he 
would be looked upon as priggish, abnormal, 
and certain, sooner or later, to develop into 
something entirely undesirable which I need 
not stop to define. But I know and am sure 
that Dick and his like are the salt of the earth, 
keeping on their good and true way untouched 
by any of the modern unsettling cries that 
hinder and arrest the development of so many 
souls. 

Wednesday night came, and with it great 
excitement for Dick. He was rarely moved 
like this; but the fact was that he was eager 
beyond bearing almost to get to close grips 
with the things that matter. He threw his 
whole heart into his business, and the educa- 
tional exercises of the Birkbeck; but into this 


144 The Seed of the Righteous 

business of benefiting his fellows he threw his 
very soul. Presently he arrived at the hall, a 
curious ramshackle building up a byway, its 
door battered as with many volleys of stones. 
The door was closed, but there was a light 
inside; so he went boldly up and tapped. He 
tapped many times, for Mr. Jackson was so 
inured to the alarms and excursions of the 
youth of the neighborhood that he did not take 
any notice of casual taps. 

Presently, however, the door opened, and a 
tall gray-bearded man with wonderful brown 
eyes stood facing Dick. Only for a moment 
though ; an almost instantaneous scrutiny satis- 
fied Mr. Jackson that Dick was one of the 
Body, and, reaching for his hand, he drew 
him in. 

^"What is it, my son?” queried the older 
man, almost pleadingly. 

Dick told him all, nor was interrupted until 
he had finished, or, rather, paused for lack of 
breath to go on with. 

Then Mr. Jackson sank down on his knees, 
never doubting that his lead would be followed 
by Dick, and gratefully thanked God for his 
goodness in sending so promising a recruit 
to the work. They, therefore, rose happy, and 
plunged into details. Summarized, the matter 


Ideals 


145 

was in this condition. Mr. Jackson was in 
a business house where he had been for thirty 
years, and where he was highly valued. He 
had neither wife nor child, and every ounce of 
his superfluous energy went into the direction 
of doing good to his fellows as he understood 
it. He had no need to save, since no one was 
dependent upon him; and as for his old age, 
with a merry laugh he declared that when the 
good Lord had done with his services he would 
take care of him. 

Their interview was most satisfactory to 
Dick, whose heart warmed to Mr. Jackson as 
never before to any man, not even Mr. Har- 
court, and he inwardly vowed to devote heart, 
soul, and strength to the cause that this new- 
found friend had at heart. That evening’s 
exercises were enough for him, as regards an 
exposition of the methods of the place. He 
saw a crowd of poorly clad men, women, and 
children, who in the main listened to Mr. 
Jackson’s exhortations and were always rever- 
ent in their demeanor during his prayers. He 
looked upon the upturned faces from his seat on 
the platform and pitied them with all his soul. 

So he went back to work full of divine 
energy, and so impatient that he could scarcely 
wait for Sunday. Indeed, he could hardly 


146 The Seed of the Righteous 

control his thoughts sufficiently to do justice 
either to his work or to his classes; but he 
strove hard to do so, and at last, full of high 
hopes and dreams of victory, he sallied forth 
to the hall on Sunday morning, rather pleased 
than otherwise that it meant a walk of four 
miles. That morning’s service fixed him 
definitely for the remainder of his life. Com- 
paring it with the service he had so much 
enjoyed at the chapel over which Mr. Saunders 
reigned supreme (he was not the minister, but 
the power behind the throne), he saw that here 
were love and life, there formalism and cold 
respectability. No one came here for what they 
could get, in influence or diverse ways well 
understood among chapel folks. All came 
because they expected or believed or hoped to 
meet there the Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and for no other sublunary reason 
whatever. 

The singing, which was sufficiently good 
even to please Dick’s fastidious ear, was led 
by a young lady about Dick’s own age, who 
presided at a good harmonium with a gravity 
and attention far beyond her years. In spite 
of his earnest attention to and full enjoyment 
of the service, Dick found, with a certain sur- 
prise, that this young lady’s image was present 


Ideals 


147 

to his mental vision even when he could not see 
her; but he strove to banish it as he would 
have done any other extraneous matter not 
immediately connected with the work in hand. 

That night’s open-air service, however, so 
fully engrossed him that he had no room for 
thought of anything else. The desire to spread 
the splendid news of what he felt was life to 
him, the gospel of divine love and present help, 
was overwhelming ; and when the leader called 
upon him to speak, he went forward at once, 
though trembling in every limb, determined to 
give his testimony, his witness to the truth of 
the faith that was in him. The few stam- 
mering words that he was able to utter had 
perhaps a greater effect upon the quiet, listen- 
ing crowd than any grand flight of oratory 
would have had, for no one there could look 
into his face and not feel sure that here, at any 
rate, was a disciple indeed who was uttering 
no uncertain sound, who was giving no formal 
adherence to a certain set of doctrines, but 
whose heart was on fire with the love of God. 

Returning from the meeting that night to 
the hall, Dick was conscious of a satisfaction 
that he had never known before, a fullness and 
rounding off of his life, and he really felt as 
if life had nothing higher or better to offer. 


148 The Seed of the Righteous 

Then he realized what a long walk home was 
before him, already weary with the long stand- 
ing in the open air. But that only added to 
his satisfaction ; he had a high delight in thus, 
as he felt, overcoming the weakness of the flesh 
for the Master’s sake. So he strode manfully 
homeward, his heart a veritable nest of singing 
birds as he recalled all the incidents of his 
adventurous life. 

Then into the midst of his thoughts there 
came the face of the girl at the harmonium 
with almost a pang of sweetness, quite unin- 
telligible to him, but altogether delightful. 
This young man had never even dreamed of 
love before in the commonly accepted sense 
of the term; he had lived a life of love, but 
it was asexual, entirely unselfish and devoted; 
in fact, it was the love of God shed abroad in 
his heart and overflowing upon all about him. 
His happiness, then, was complete, and his 
heart was full of praise as he stepped briskly 
up and knocked at the front door of his 
lodgings. 

It was opened almost instantly by Mrs. 
Freeth, who burst out with, '' Look here, 
young man, if you think Fm going to sit up all 
hours of the night waiting for your pleasure 
while you’re gadding goodness knows where 


Ideals 


149 

and all, you're mightily mistaken. You’re go- 
ing the same way as all the rest; but you 
shan’t blame me for not givin’ you warnin’. 
Here, it’s a quarter past eleven o’clock, and a 
Sunday night too. You oughter be ashamed of 
yerself. What would your pore mother have 
said, I wonder ? ” 

Poor Dick felt, as once before, a very fury 
of rage coming over him, for in spite of the 
platitudes so often uttered upon the subject, 
to be accused wrongfully is much harder to 
bear than to be accused justly. His face 
burned, his fists clenched themselves, but in 
that moment he received strength to restrain 
himself. And he replied calmly : You are 
quite wrong, Mrs. Freeth. I have been no- 
where that I should not. Perhaps you mean 
well, but you are too ready to believe ill, and 
I will at once try to find other lodgings. I’ll 
explain to Mr. Harcourt why in the course of 
the week.” 

Mrs. Freeth made no attempt to reply to this 
beyond mutterings, and Dick passed into his 
room unmolested further, but not to sleep. In 
spite of his indomitable perseverance and his 
high ideals, he was too keenly susceptible of 
injustice still to sit calmly down under the im- 
putations Mrs. Freeth had hurled at him with 


150 The Seed of the Righteous 

the best intentions, as she thought. Silly 
woman! But dimly he wondered, as he lay 
thinking, what had become of the uplifting joy, 
the calm delight he had felt on his way home. 
Fortunately, he was not given to self-analysis, 
or he might have suffered still more. And 
toward the morning he fell asleep. 


CHAPTER X 
Dick, the Man 

The next week was a busy one for Dick. 
First he had to find new lodgings, and they 
were of preference near the mission with which 
he had cast in his lot. Mrs. Freeth had made 
some diffident advances, but it was a curious 
characteristic of this young man that he always 
felt as if his lightest word must be his bond, 
to be redeemed by fulfillment at no matter what 
cost to himself. And so, though he was strictly 
and punctiliously polite to Mrs. Freeth, she 
soon recognized that she had really lost her 
lodger. 

He had to see Mr. Harcourt and explain 
matters, and was surprised to find that Mr. 
Harcourt by no means agreed with his leaving 
Mrs. Freeth, or took more than the most 
languid interest in his religious work over the 
river. This attitude of Mr. Harcourt’s hurt 
him, but did not move him in the least, and so 
they parted on slightly less cordial terms than 
usual. Then there was his work at the office, 
which he very rightly regarded as claiming his 
best attention; indeed, it was one of the most 


152 The Seed of the Righteous 

estimable factors in his character that he was 
essentially trustworthy. His work was by no 
means of a highly technical nature, much of it, 
indeed, being of so low a grade as to call for 
very little of Dick’s really high intelligence; 
but whatever it happened to be that he was 
doing, that for the time was his sole concern, 
from which nothing was allowed to draw his 
attention. 

What a paragon ! ” I’m afraid I hear some 
reader sneer. Well, I admit that such a 
character is becoming increasingly difficult to 
find. The tendency is all in the direction of 
scamping the work for which we are paid, and 
putting our best energies into our play or our 
hobbies. But I rejoice to think that I have 
been privileged to know several lads who, 
while undoubtedly keen upon their play and 
their hobbies, certainly put their work first. 
Yet, strange to say, none of those lads have 
attained to eminence. They are good, faithful, 
and most worthy members of society, but they 
are only earning a bare living by incessant 
labor, and should they be overtaken by severe 
accident and rendered helpless, or in middle 
age lose their employment through no fault of 
their own, I don’t like to point out what they 
have to look forward to. Which makes me feel 


Dick, the Man 153 

that the prime factor in getting on ’’ from a 
worldly point of view is not any of the qualities 
I have named, but an absence of the highest 
moral sense of the finest feelings of our nature 
bred of the teachings of the New Testament. 

Among Dick’s chief activities was his even- 
ing education. At that he toiled like any 
beaver. But toil he never so hardly or so 
eagerly, he always found that he was in the 
common ranks of the students, never one of 
those in the first flight. It was not want of 
perseverance or energy ; it was simply want of 
ability. He had his limitations, as we all have, 
but he was gradually learning that those limita- 
tions were much lower down the scale than he 
cared to admit. In proportion, however, as he 
learned about the things he could not do, the 
heights he could not climb, he determined to do 
those things that he could do as well as they 
could be done. 

Thus, although he was undoubtedly down- 
hearted at times at his lack of ability to keep up 
with the best of his class at the Birkbeck, he 
always found solace when Wednesday or 
Sunday came and he could pour out of his full 
heart the joy of his belief in the love of God. 
In this supreme delight of his life he was up- 
held by no force of character, no special train- 


154 The Seed of the Righteous 

ing, no desire to be good in order to gain some- 
thing in the nature of special favor from on 
high. It was an overmastering desire to serve 
his fellows in what seemed to him the best of 
all ways. Silver and gold have I none, but 
such as I have give I thee,’’ was his motto, un- 
consciously it is true, but no less certainly. 
And so he gave to this loving labor all the fer- 
vor of his soul, and was in consequence uplifted 
and upheld, thereby being indeed as nearly 
happy at this time as any young man can be, 
while at the same time he was kept in the way 
of holiness. 

Now the prodigality of nature is a common- 
place of natural science, but how few there be 
who speak of the prodigality of Love! — not 
that bestial, selfish passion which profanes the 
high and holy name of love, but the love that 
Paul outlines in the thirteenth chapter of the 
First Epistle to the Corinthians. And when 
Dick was engaged in his mission work he felt 
his heart aglow, and because of the flood of 
love that he poured out it was always brim- 
ming in accordance with the divine promise. 
His superintendent, Mr. Jackson, yearned over 
him and felt at times as if in open meeting he 
must clasp him to his breast and proclaim aloud 
the joy he felt in having such a co worker. 


Dick, the Man 155 

Dick’s life at this time was curiously narrow 
but entirely full within its limits. He had 
absolutely no home life, the lodging house 
wherein he occupied a room being almost as 
silent as the Trappist monastery. Of the 
twenty-two young men who lived there none 
knew another, each had his own little niche 
in the hive wherein he slept, but his life was 
lived outside of the building altogether. The 
place was as silent as a grave. Two old women 
did the chores and a pale, gawky lad cleaned 
the boots and carried round the tea and bread 
and butter that formed the breakfasts of these 
early-rising youths. And whatever their lives 
may have been outside, there can be no question 
that within those walls they were exemplary. 
Very rarely indeed a young fellow would come 
home the worse for liquor, or cause a disturb- 
ance, but in the morning he would receive from 
Mrs. Price, the stern landlady, a week’s notice 
to quit, and from her fiat there was no appeal. 
So the delinquent passed in his latch-key, 
packed his small belongings, and vanished. 

To Dick, however, this monastic calm of 
his lodgings was very welcome. His time 
never hung heavy; he did not know the mean- 
ing of spare moments, for there was always 
something to do. Unconsciously, too, he 


156 The Seed of the Righteous 

allowed his two sisters to become shadowy 
shapes of memory. He had attempted to keep 
on visiting terms with them, but his visits were 
not encouraged, and he was so sensitive that 
after a snub or two from housekeeper or butler 
he determined to keep away, and did so, only 
being careful to let his sisters know his where- 
abouts and of his welfare by a letter every 
month. His satisfaction, however, was great 
to know that, as far as he could ascertain, they 
were all doing well. And an occasional brief 
letter from Jemmy brought the news that he 
was making his way very slowly but surely on 
a big station near Bathurst. So Dick had no 
anxieties about his family. All that had passed 
away in the most satisfactory manner. 

Now it must be admitted that although Dick 
had undoubtedly been attracted by the sweet 
serious face of Miss Grace on his first visit 
to Meecham Hall, the impression had not been 
deepened subsequently. He was heart and 
soul in his work, and as far as he was con- 
cerned there was no time for love-making or 
thinking about it in the ordinary sense of the 
term. Mr. Jackson had an extraordinary 
driving force; in the business of soul-saving 
he was as energetic as some people are at 
money-getting, and no one could work long 


Dick, the Man 157 

with him or under him without either becoming 
like him or being disconcerted and leaving him. 
But as the work grew more and more strenu- 
ous, owing to the lowering of the neighbor- 
hood, Mr. Jackson and his band of volunteers 
were drawn closer and closer together in their 
necessity of presenting an unbroken front to 
the common enemy. It was in the never-end- 
ing fight that they all got to know one another 
very well, and Dick, who had as of right slipped 
into the entirely congenial position of Master 
of the King’s Music, was brought into very 
close and firm relations with Miss Grace the 
organist. 

Yet such was the caliber of these two young 
people, neither of whom had yet passed the 
stage of legal infancy, that neither had so much 
as hinted by any means that they felt inclined 
to be aught to each other than fellow-soldiers 
in a common cause. And how long this singu- 
lar aloofness on the human side would have 
been maintained it is impossible to say but for 
an accident. It was Easter Sunday night and 
the surging crowds of the street were disor- 
derly in the extreme. Never in Dick’s experi- 
ence had he faced such opposition. Bands of 
youths and girls who on other occasions would 
have been content with a passing jeer, now 


158 The Seed of the Righteous 

stayed, and with ribaldry of all kinds seemed 
determined to prevent any carrying on of the 
meeting at all. But Mr. Jackson and his help- 
ers were made of stern material, and this treat- 
ment only made them close up their ranks and 
sing the songs of Zion more lustily, since speak- 
ing the word was out of the question. 

At last the crowd, as if maddened, made a 
savage rush at the little band, and in an instant 
there was a scene of wild confusion, the yelling 
of the hooligans and the screams of the women 
making a hideous contrast to the usual concord 
of sweet sounds. A solitary policeman was 
sufficient to put the cowardly rabble to flight, 
and then there was revealed amid the wreckage 
of books, lamp, harmonium, and banner, the 
prostrate form of Dick with his head upon Miss 
Grace’s lap. She was hatless and her hair was 
in disorder, but she was steadily pressing her 
handkerchief to Dick’s forehead, from which 
a stream of blood flowed every time she lifted 
her hand to look. The jagged wound had been 
made with an ugly piece of slate which had laid 
bare the skull from the eyebrow to the roots 
of the hair. 

In a few minutes all was quiet, the debris 
had been cleared away, and Mr. Jackson’s 
devoted band had retreated to their beloved 


Dick, the Man 159 

hall temporarily stopped, but in no wise 
defeated, rather elated that they were counted 
worthy to suffer in the Master’s service. A 
doctor had been sent for who dressed and 
bandaged Dick’s hurt and commended Miss 
Grace for keeping the dirt out of it. When he 
retired Dick was able to walk, a bit tottery but 
full of pluck, and what was more, full of grati- 
tude to the brave girl who had, as he was in- 
formed, done her best for him in the midst of a 
howling mob. 

For the first time he felt a thrill of desire to 
keep near her when the time came for them 
all to seek their homes. He loathed the idea 
of his lonely lodging and longed to feel still 
that gentle touch upon his head. But he knew 
that he was thinking of impossibilities — for the 
present at least, and so with a heavy inward 
sigh he bade all present good-night and turned 
homeward. He had not gone far, however, 
when he heard light footsteps following him, 
and presently Miss Grace reached his side a 
little out of breath, and catching at his arm said 
gaspingly: ''Mr. Hertford, are you sure you 
can manage? I’m afraid you must feel very 
faint — I wonder some of the other men didn’t 
offer to come with you ” — and then she stopped 
suddenly as Dick, reaching for her hand. 


i6o The Seed of the Righteous 

moistened his parched lips and said : God 
bless your kind thought. I’m not so bad but 
that I can get home, but you can’t imagine how 
glad I am to have you think of me.” 

O,” she replied, with a half-hearted at- 
tempt to draw her hand away, then I’ll say 
good-night. I only fancied you looked too 
poorly to go alone. But if you are quite sure 
you can do without my help — it’s getting late 
— I’d better get home.” 

In a moment, as by an intuitive flash, Dick 
grasped the situation, saw that here was the 
shadowy something that he had been needing 
so hungrily. All the loneliness of his little 
room, of his life, wherein his sole companion- 
ship had been the ideal of his sainted mother, 
his isolation from his kind in all those little 
intimate things that make up the sum of time, 
rushed into his mind. His clasp upon her 
hand tightened into a grip, and he said 
hoarsely : 

“ Miss Grace, Mary, if you could love me — 
I’ve nobody in the world — and I know now that 
I’ve loved you for a long time without daring 
to let the idea get full hold of me — ” 

With a little glad cry she leaned toward 
him, and her disengaged arm fell across his 
neck. There were a few short sobs of deepest 


Dick, the Man i6i 

happiness, and then, because the Kennington 
Road on a Sunday evening at ten-thirty is not 
exactly a secluded lane, they walked side by 
side primly enough, arm in arm it is true, but 
that was the merest convention common to 
their class — it was an outward sign that had 
nothing in common with the soaring manhood 
that rushed into Dick’s heart like a bursting 
geyser, or the beautiful satisfying sense of 
brooding protection from all outside ills that 
filled the soul of the woman. 

But as might be expected from what we 
know of Dick previously, their conversation 
had nothing of the romantic about it. Purely 
utilitarian as far as everyday life was con- 
cerned, the only words of love that passed were 
an occasional ‘"dear” or a timid ''darling,” 
and even they were uttered apologetically, as if 
a hardly warranted liberty was being taken. 
For our pair of lovers belonged to that great 
saline stratum of goodness that saves the bulk 
of our workers from decay, yet is always 
alluded to in terms of sarcasm by leading novel- 
ists and publicists. May God long preserve to 
us the good young man and good young 
woman, whose ideas are bounded by the class, 
the love feast, the open air, and the day’s work ! 
They may be narrow in outlook, their physical 


i62 The Seed of the Righteous 

temperature may be low, but they make for 
clean, sane manhood and womanhood, and they 
are the nation’s greatest asset. 

All too soon the pair reached the door of 
Dick’s lodgings. Immediately Dick’s chival- 
rous motherly instincts were aroused, and he 
began to talk about accompanying Mary home. 
But she gave a scornful little laugh. ‘‘ Leave 
that till you are stronger,” she said; ‘‘ I’m look- 
ing after you now, and I order you to go 
straight upstairs to bed. You must not think 
because you are strong you can play tricks with 
your health. Go to bed my — dear, and take 
care of yourself for my sake, because I love 
you, and I want you for my husband.” 

For all answer Dick drew her near him, as 
with him his mother had been wont to do, and 
said : Kiss me good-night, then.” 

I am not writing a love story in the ordinary 
sense of the term, and so I refrain from any 
unnecessary comment upon that kiss. It was 
just a sanctifying seal upon a bond between 
them wherein either was held holy by the other, 
and the dangers that are justly dreaded by our 
lawmakers and the guardians of our morals 
had no existence. A most beautiful and clean 
condition which is in full working order among 
the class of which I write — a class that may be 


Dick, the Man 163 

trusted to stand four square against any at- 
tempt to disintegrate the family or to rob the 
individual by such hare-brained folk as are at 
present heard loudest in the nation’s councils. 
I am not going to advertise any of them ; they 
are fully capable of that, and by all decent- 
thinking and decent-living folk are equally 
feared and understood. 

Dick parted from Mary and went up to his 
little cell with a firm step, the footfall of a man 
who had reached solid ground and found what 
he had wanted for so long without knowing 
what it really was. Upon reaching the privacy 
of his little room he sank into a chair and en- 
deavored to survey the situation. He sat for a 
while with his head between his hands — a 
casual observer might have thought him a prey 
to the deepest dejection — ^the whole of his life 
flitting before his mental vision in kaleidoscopic 
sequence. And then he suddenly rose from his 
chair, cast his hat upon the bed and poured out 
his heart’s fullness in praise to God. 

In a few minutes he arose with a vigorous 
movement and, humming one of his favorite 
hymns, cast off his clothing, never heeding the 
hurts he had received — in fact, he did not feel 
them — then leaped into his bed and in three 
minutes was fast asleep. 


164 The Seed of the Righteous 

You need no assurance from me that Dick’s 
attitude on Monday morning did not pass un- 
noticed at the office, any more than did the 
curious strap of plaster on his forehead. Of 
course many small witticisms were bandied at 
his expense, none of which he heeded, although 
he had a bright smile for all, the smile of the 
conqueror. Then came an ordeal, a summons 
on the carpet,” for Mr. Saunders had noted 
with lowering brow the damage to Dick’s face, 
and had reported it in a roundabout way to the 
chief. Strangely enough, the chief had secretly 
developed a strong liking for Dick, and when 
the latter appeared before him white and war- 
like with that uneven strip of plaster, he was 
already prepossessed in his favor. 

Questioned sharply, Dick told his tale 
modestly and clearly, the result being a flush 
upon the chief’s face and an expressed hope 
that we’d all stand up for our ideals as man- 
fully if need be.” But this never even fluttered 
Dick. He felt uplifted beyond any usual hap- 
penings. Unconscious of any enmity toward 
him, he had never bothered his head about such 
things, and, verily, he reaped his reward. Yet 
it must be admitted that there was an uncom- 
fortable feeling left after the interview that 
someone had been trying to injure him, and the 


Dick^ the Man 165 

why? ’’ which necessarily welled up from his 
heart met with no answer. 

Poor Dick ! He did not yet know the wicked 
busybody who, in default of better employment, 
maligns, slanders, and injures in every way 
conceivable to him innocent people. Such an 
unspeakable class had never entered his pur- 
view, nor if they had, would he have permitted 
himself to believe in their existence. 

Therefore the ordeal of Dick’s appearance 
among his fellows with that ornamented face 
passed off quite easily. Clad in the complete 
armor of happy innocence, praise or blame 
were alike immaterial to him. But it needed 
all his self-control to keep his mind from wan- 
dering from his duties or his studies to the 
possibilities of this new and rosy future. Joy- 
fully he studied the rows of figures in his bank- 
book, showing how steadily he had been laying 
by a goodly portion of his earnings, not, in- 
deed, with any conscious idea of such a con- 
tingency, but from some ingrained, inherited 
habit of economy. 

But O ! how hungrily he looked forward to 
Wednesday! He had always loved his mid- 
week break with its little Sabbath of loving 
ministry, its sense of sweet service ; now it had 
an added savor — the actual sight of a dear face 


1 66 The Seed of the Righteous 

and sound of a musical voice, the thrilling touch 
of a tender hand. It came at last, and in no 
one thing was he disappointed. His face liter- 
ally shone as he greeted Mary and Mr. Jackson, 
who were standing together as he entered the 
little hall. Mary smiled blushingly as she noted 
the love-light on Dick's face, and Mr. Jackson, 
grasping the young man's hand warmly be- 
tween his own, exclaimed : My dear lad, I 
never thought you'd be any the worse for that 
nasty knock, but I wasn't prepared to see you 
looking so beaming. And the scar isn't at all 
unbecoming. How wonderfully your flesh does 
heal to be sure — the result of a clean and simple 
life, of course. Ah, well. He knows how to 
make all things work together for good to them 
that love Him, and I rejoice to see the promise 
hold." 

Then they turned away to the evening's 
duties, in which, although there was not the 
slightest opposition, there was also an absence 
of the usual interest. People would not stay 
and listen, and if the truth must be told, both 
Dick and Mary were not in the least sorry 
when Mr. Jackson, with a heavy sigh, gave the 
word for closing the meeting. Both felt some- 
what guilty in that they were putting their 
own pleasure before the mighty work in which 


Dick, the Man 167 

they were both engaged, but that is only 
another way of saying that they were intensely 
human and in the first flush of their love for 
each other. 

The farewells said, they departed together, 
amid the whispers of the little band of helpers, 
who were all as much interested as if they had 
a personal share in the pretty development. 
Again the confidences, so matter-of-fact and 
plain-spoken — as became those who knew life’s 
realities. Mary told him that she maintained 
herself by dressmaking, having succeeded to 
her mother’s connection — poor mother, who 
had lost the use of her hands through rheuma- 
tism. Father was a plasterer, able to earn good 
wages, and spend them in the curious recrea- 
tions of the British workman — drink and 
gambling on horse-racing, his only literature 
that baleful Star, whose beams are only cared 
for when they show the way to a '' winner.” 
At any rate, it was a red-letter Saturday when 
one quarter of his wages were handed in to the 
family exchequer. And when he had no work 
he looked to be fed and furnished with tobacco 
and beer money by the two women who loved 
him in spite of all. 

Dick only gripped his beloved’s arm tighter 
as he heard this, while he registered a vow that 


1 68 The Seed of the Righteous 

when they were one this little matter should 
be revised: there would be no more cheap 
tobacco and beer for a loafer if he could inter- 
cept its flow. 


CHAPTER XI 
An Alliance on Terms 

If in the foregoing chapter I have given 
the idea that Dick had become slack in the 
service of the Lord, I must ask pardon; for, 
in very truth, he was fired by a new enthu- 
siasm — a burning desire to excel in the noblest 
of all pursuits — that of saving the perishing 
human soul. This it was that led him to 
plead with Mr. Jackson for the use of the hall 
on Tuesday evenings, as a gathering place for 
the youth of the neighborhood who cared to 
come and be taught singing. Poor Dick could 
not pose as a teacher, or anything else, 
although what he did know he knew well ; but 
he thought he could conduct a sort of week- 
evening Sunda}^ school by the aid of his 
beloved. And she urged him on. Already 
he had become her hero; in her eyes he was 
the very perfect knight, who, as far as man 
might, was realizing the Christ by going about 
doing good. 

And so this enterprise also was begun. A 
simple, earnest prayer for help and guidance 
from Dick and Mary in the empty hall, all else 

169 


170 The Seed of the Righteous 

forgotten but their desire for the benefit of the 
young chaps whom they pitied so much, and 
she began playing over some of the simple 
tunes they loved so well. One by one the boys 
slouched in furtively, or rufiling it, as if deter- 
mined to show that they were not ashamed, but 
in the end about twenty were present. And 
Dick stood up before them in simple, manly 
fashion, saying: 

Boys : Fm one of you, as I think you know, 
and me and my sweetheart thought we might 
amuse and interest you for an hour on Tuesday 
evening, to teach you what weVe learned in the 
way of music and singing. All we ask of you 
is that you’ll let us teach you, and if any of you 
know anything of the Tonic Sol-fa that you’ll 
lend a hand. But first let’s ask God’s blessing.” 

They were taken' by surprise, and allowed 
Dick’s short, fervent petition for heavenly 
blessing and guidance to pass unhindered. It 
was immediately followed by the full strains 
of the harmonium, in a sort of voluntary. And 
then a lively song was introduced, in which all 
present were able to join. So from one thing 
to another the time sped, and almost before any 
of them realized it the evening was over, and 
they were hand-shaking and anticipating great 
times on the ensuing Tuesday evening. 


An Alliance on Terms 171 

When the last visitor had departed, Dick 
and Mary knelt again and thanked God for this 
auspicious beginning. Then, putting every- 
thing in order, they left the hall, and sedately 
strolled toward Mary's home, for she had asked 
Dick to come and be introduced as her future 
husband. He did not feel at all elated at the 
prospect, nor did she ; but it had to be faced, or, 
rather, the autocrat of that small home had to 
be met; for, however little he was entitled to 
such a position, he most jealously claimed it, 
and indeed always enforced it, as if a ruler by 
divine right. 

Presently they were all in the ‘‘ sitting 
room," and all — that is, mother, Mary, and 
Dick — looked exquisitely uncomfortable. 
Father, in his shirt sleeves, with a short clay 
pipe in his mouth and a jug of beer at his 
elbow, was quite at his ease. He had greeted 
Dick with a sort of boisterous heartiness, say- 
ing: ‘‘So you're come courtin' my girl, 'ave 
yer? Well, I don't mind, s' long as your inten- 
tions is honorable (ha! hal); but she says 
you're a teetotaler, an' don't smoke. Now, I 
don't 'old with excess, but, at the same time, I 
aint got no use for people wot can't have a 
friendly glarss, nor yet a pipe, an' so I don't 
deceive yer. Pm a plain man, I am; Bob 


172 The Seed of the Righteous 

Grace is my name, an’ I aint ashamed of it. 
I k’n do a day’s work with any man, I k’n 
take my glarss a beer or I k’n leave it, an’ 
them as don’t like me they’ve only got to say 
so — ” 

Why go on? I have no patience with the 
nauseous twaddle, prolonged indefinitely, which 
constitutes the conversation of the much- 
beloved British workingman; without any 
excuse, either, because the way of education 
is open. 

The two women sat and suffered while my 
lord grumbled on, and Dick, with his teeth 
clinched, thought manfully of the rescue he 
was presently about to effect. He was relieved 
by Mr. Grace suddenly rising and muttering 
something unintelligibly, reaching for his hat, 
and lurching out of the room. Mrs. Grace 
rose and went after him, but speedily returned 
with a white face. 

'' My husband isn’t quite himself tonight,” 
she said. He’s a wonderfully good fellow, as 
husbands go, and he’s never offered to lay a 
hand on me since we’ve been married, and 
that’s six and twenty years next Michaelmas. 
But I’ll own he’s a bit queer at times. Never 
mind. What would you like for your supper, 
Mr. Hertford? — have a bit of fish? ” 


An Alliance on Terms 173 

Dick, however, truthfully asserted that he 
could not eat a morsel, and, further, that he 
must be going. Nothing would induce him to 
stay longer, so he made for the door, the mother 
allowing Mary to go with him unattended. A 
great flood of pity welled on to his love as he 
clasped his dear one to his breast, murmuring : 
‘‘ O, my love ! I can save you from that dread- 
ful man.’’ 

She drew away from him, saying : Dick, 

you forget, he’s my father.” 

Yes, he had forgotten, as so many others 
have; but he never forgot again. Earnestly 
he begged her pardon for not being able to 
see through her eyes, for in a flash he had 
determined that she was well worth the sacrifice 
demanded of him. Of course it was as readily 
granted, and after a little period of bliss — 
understood by lovers, but entirely incompre- 
hensible to any other human beings — they 
parted, Dick walking soberly toward his lodg- 
ings, full of plans for the future. 

He entered the silent house as usual, went 
up to his little room amid a silence as of death, 
opened the door, struck a match and lit the gas. 
There on his table lay a letter. He turned it 
over and over, scanning stamp, postmark, and 
address, and at last tore it open to read : 


174 The Seed of the Righteous 

My Dear Brother Dick ; Mrs. Jameson came over here 
tonight and says that Dolly has gone, she doesn’t know 
where. I am broken-hearted, but cannot do anything. So 
will you be when you hear this. Poor Dick, you done all 
you could, and this is the end for her. She was always a 
frivolous little cat. Your loving sister, 

Susan Hertford. 


Poor Dick, indeed! In the midst of his 
happiness, modified, it is true, by the prospects 
of such a father-in-law, came this. Immedi- 
ately he began to accuse himself. Was he to 
blame? And no matter how hardly he might 
strive, how complete were his vindicatory argu- 
ments, still would remain the feeling that he 
was responsible. Poor Dick! He was of the 
veritable sons of Canaan, burden-bearers, car- 
riers of loads wherein they have no share but 
the weight. But, as we have no desire to har- 
row our hearts unnecessarily, it may as well be 
recorded at once that Dolly’s only offense was 
base ingratitude. She had been offered a better 
situation, but had not cared for the small 
trouble of informing Dick. She developed into 
a very clever, cold-blooded young person, who 
married an honest tradesman and ruled him 
with a rod of iron, assisting or, rather, driving 
him into a very good business. But Dick 
learned none of this until some dozen years 
after, and then quite by accident. And all that 


An Alliance on Terms 175 

time he bore about with him a burden of sor- 
row, thinking that he had perhaps failed in 
his duty. No, we have no more to do with 
Dolly. 

Still, Dick proved the exception to the gen- 
eral rule, that sorrows come not in single spies 
but in battalions. Without any pushfulness on 
his part, beyond his always eager desire to do 
his work as well as it could be done, he was one 
morning summoned into the presence of the 
august chief of the great business. Now, such 
an experience is generally a racking one, for 
most fellows when carpeted,’’ as it is called, 
try to recall which of their innumerable derelic- 
tions from duty has been discovered, and are, 
consequently, in a most unenviable frame of 
mind. Not so Dick. He knew with an assur- 
ance beyond dispute that nowhere had he failed 
to do his utmost — knew it so well that the idea 
of his being hauled over the coals never 
occurred to him, and he looked his chief in the 
face with an open ingenuousness that was very 
pleasant to look upon. 

His faith was fully justified, for the result of 
the interview was that he was raised from the 
Gibeonite ranks of the messengers to the far 
higher status of clerk at a commencing salary 
of thirty shillings a week, with an annual in- 


176 The Seed of the Righteous 

crement of two and sixpence per week, and a 
maximum of a hundred and fifty pounds per 
annum. In a moment his thoughts flew to 
Mary. It was Friday, and he had not yet 
begun to write to her, so he must wait till 
Sunday in order to communicate the grand 
news. But it would be difficult indeed to 
analyze the whirling emotions that possessed 
Dick that night. Gratitude to God came first 
— it was with Dick a habit carried to the length 
of thanking God for an occasional gleam of 
sunshine or a tasty morsel — grief for the miss- 
ing ones, joyful anticipations of a home of his 
own — and a wife, and also a perfectly legiti- 
mate yet veritably immense pride that he had 
been able to come so far in spite of all the army 
of obstacles arrayed against him. 

Sunday came; it seemed a long wait, and 
after the morning love feast, when a select 
company, with Brother Jackson at their head, 
all went to the local Methodist chapel and 
partook of the blessed meal, Mary timidly said : 
“ Mother told me to ask you if you would like 
to come and have dinner with us today.’’ 

Very quickly Dick turned and queried: 

Would you like me to come ? because, if so. 
I’ll be glad.” Shyly but sweetly she conveyed 
to him that she had arranged the whole 


An Alliance on Terms 177 

business to that end, and off they went, full 
of satisfaction. 

Dick often says that he can never forget that 
day. The pompous platitudes of the plasterer 
and his lordly patronage of the weakling who 
would not drink of his flowing jug were all as 
nothing, while the presence of the mother made 
no difference — there was a joyful recompense 
in the hour’s privacy in the best room before 
afternoon Sunday school. Then Dick told of 
his altered prospects, and he suggested that 
they might wed forthwith, young as they were. 
And she, with all the intuitive wisdom of her 
sex, counseled prudence. 

Dick felt that he could not wait for that 
pretty little home which he had planned; but 
he had learned a very high degree of patience 
and tenacity, and so, although it is to be feared 
that there were threads of Mary and the little 
home in all the utterances from Dick, whether 
in Sunday school or meeting, there was a fire, a 
brilliancy, about whatever he said or sung, 
alternating with a pathos that was remarkable, 
because he was usually so equable, that at- 
tracted the notice of all, and when the long day 
was done, accounts had been made up, and the 
books put away. Brother Jackson laid his hands 
affectionately upon the shoulders of Mary and 


178 The Seed of the Righteous 

Dick, everyone else being gone, and spoke 
solemnly, gently, lovingly. 

My dear children, all my heart is with you, 
all my prayers are yours. I have watched 
you and prayed over you. And I feel full of 
joy to think that you are all in all to each 
other. But, dear ones, so remain. Allow 
nothing to come between you; be chums and 
lovers. Kneel hand in hand and, however you 
may be tempted, never speak harshly one to 
another. For harsh words rankle; they are 
so easily spoken, so impossible to recall. For- 
give me for being an old fogy, but, dear ones, I 
have been married thirty years and for the last 
fifteen I have not seen my wife. So you see, 
although I am advising you, I have made a 
curious mess of my own life. If I could only 
recall many things that I have said! if only I 
had been wiser 1 Ah, well 1 God bless you and 
preserve you from the grief of saying, ‘ If I 
had done so and so, I should not have been — ’ 
Good night.’' 

They found themselves out in the crowded 
street, their hands still tingling from his 
nervous grip, but of what he said it is only just 
to say that they remembered little. For they 
were two intensely practical, commonplace 
young folks, without a trace of hifalutin or 


An Alliance on Terms 179 

penny novelette style in their make-up. Love ? 
— O, yes, an ocean of it, but in its rightful 
place, a firm foundation whereon to build hap- 
piness, not a madness with which to run riot 
for a time and then awake to disillusionment 
and misery. 

Very earnestly and sincerely Dick had laid 
before Mary his sorrows with regard to Dolly 
and Jemmy, expecting, yet hardly prepared, for 
the vigorous sympathy she gave him. 

My dear one,’’ she cried, '' you have been 
father and mother to them. You gave them 
the best of your life for years. Surely you 
could not be blamed by the Lord for not doing 
what was impossible. Be comforted, dear, and 
let us live our own lives now — ” 

He stopped her, crying : '' Mary, let it be 
soon. Neither you nor I have ever had a real 
home; let’s make one.” 

But at that she was silent until he, mistaking 
her, in man’s fashion, said, resentfully : '' Why, 
don’t you want me, after all, Mary? ” 

Quickly she turned upon him, replying, with 
trembling in her voice: You know I do; but 
poor mother, can I desert her now ? O, God,” 
she cried, in her perplexity, ''help me to do 
right ! ” 

Before that outbreak Dick was silent, and 


i8o The Seed of the Righteous 

the subject of marriage was not again men- 
tioned between them that night. Still, for all 
that, Dick felt more determined than ever to 
possess his promised wife at the earliest oppor- 
tunity, for, as I have before remarked, he is a 
man of remarkable tenacity. 

No cloud was between them as they parted 
— they saw too clearly into one another’s soul 
for that — and when they kissed each other 
good night at the blank wall of Kennington 
Oval their hearts beat as high with pure hope 
and holy love as ever did those of youth and 
maiden since the world began, in spite of what 
is said of the viciousness of London streets at 
night, consequent upon the liberty enjoyed by 
our young people. 

When Mary reached her home she was 
immediately assailed by her mother, who had 
been waiting impatiently for her, with the 
question: Well, is anything settled yet? I’m 

on thorns. Your father’s gettin’ worse an’ 
worse. He came in tonight an’ said he didn’t 
intend to work any more. He’d been listenin’ 
to some big-mouthed fellow down at the Cross, 
who had plummed him up with the idea that 
there was goin’ to be a sort of Slate Club on a 
large scale; all the money there was in the 
country was goin’ to be shared out, an’ nobody 


An Alliance on Terms i8i 

should work who didn’t want to — an’ he never 
wants to. He says work is beneath him, that 
he ought to be in Parliament.” 

She paused for breath, and Mary replied, 
quietly: ""No, nothing is settled yet — that 
rests with me ; but if you think that I am going 
to tie my dear one down to the worthless vaga- 
bond — if he is my father — that has made such 
a ruin of your life, mother dear, you are quite 
wrong. My darling had a father and mother 
he remembers with love and sympathy. Shall 
I load him with a loafer, a man whose only idea 
of happiness or comfort is to loll over a bar, 
drinking, and talking what he calls sport, while 
those who should be his first care starve? No, 
a thousand times. I’d take you, dear, if you’d 
leave him (but I know you won’t), but I won’t, 
no, I will not, have my love imposed upon by 
my father.” 

Of course the poor mother burst into tears, 
for with her, as with so many similarly situ- 
ated, habit had taken the place of love. She 
knew how true her daughter’s words were, but 
could not indorse them, and so her long vigil 
came to naught. Mary said no more, just did 
quietly what she usually did before going to 
rest, and then, with a heavy sigh, retired, leav- 
ing her mother to wait for Mr. Grace when the 


i82 The Seed of the Righteous 

closing of the '' houses should allow him to 
come home. But for a certain sense of econ- 
omy in his pleasures Mr. Grace would have be- 
longed to the local Radical Club, where he 
might have gambled and drank practically all 
night, and all day Sunday as well, but he be- 
grudged the small subscription, and by so much 
was kept decent. But of other decencies he 
knew nothing; he was, like the great majority 
of London artisans, the most selfish of crea- 
tures, caring nothing how his woman-kind 
fared so long as his peculiar pleasures of talk- 
ing horse and discussing Captain Coe’s finals 
were not interfered with. 

Readers of this story, do believe me, in all 
your high ideas for the elevation of mankind, 
it is well that you should know that against 
you are arrayed not merely the forces of evil 
as exemplified in drinking and debauchery, but 
in the utter selfishness which is the principal 
characteristic of the British workingman 
today. Go round his chosen haunts and listen 
to him, if you want proof of what I say. 

Dimly and afar Mary recognized this, 
knowing, too, how often her scanty earnings 
had provided food and rent for the huge- 
limbed man who cared nothing for either her 
or her mother, and, when he did give up any 


An Alliance on Terms 183 

of his earnings, distributed the money as 
largesse undeserved, and in its very nature 
benevolent. She was also quite sure of the 
horror with which Dick would regard such 
ideas, and bravely determined that he, at least, 
should never become the victim of them as her 
poor mother and she had been. Ah, there was 
the crux of the situation — without her what 
would become of poor mother, who was not 
able to earn anything? The problem was be- 
yond her, yet she inwardly determined that the 
blessed future to which she looked forward 
with Dick should never be sacrificed to a selfish 
man’s lusts, even if, as was only too probable, 
her mother might have to suffer. 

So she resolutely put the matter from her 
with a quiet determination, uncommon in one 
so young, and went to her nightly prayers, 
thanking God for the great joy that had come 
to her, pleading for a blessing on the poor 
weak mother, and making the usual faithless 
petition on behalf of her father, whom she had 
long ago come to regard as a hopeless case, 
because he knew, none better, the right, and 
deliberately, from pure selfishness, followed the 
wrong. 

Meanwhile Dick had risen to the height of 
his new opportunities promptly. The report 


184 The Seed of the Righteous 

upon him at the close of his first day at the 
desk by his new chief was that he would make 
an ideal clerk, rather slow, of course, but accu- 
rate and conscientious to a degree. Dick felt 
the change much more severely than he had 
dreamed was possible. After the free exercise 
of his former employment, the cramped posi- 
tion for so many hours was very painful, but 
he accepted it as an unavoidable concomitant 
of his promotion, and promised himself that 
he would soon get used to it. 

But his greatest triumph came on the morn- 
ing of the following day in his new position. 
Mr. Saunders, who had never spoken a word to 
him, except officially, since he had left the 
chapel, stopped him on the stairs, and, holding 
out his hand, congratulated Dick in stately 
fashion upon his promotion, assuring him that 
in his (Mr. Saunders’s) opinion no one more 
worthy of it could be found. And, for a won- 
der, Mr. Saunders did not spoil the kindliness 
of his congratulations by any patronizing 
advice, as was his wont, nor did he make Dick 
feel that it was only because of the latter’s 
success that notice was being taken of him by 
so important a personage. 

But every other consideration, Dick now 
found, was merged in the prospect of wife and 


An Alliance on Terms 185 

home. Nothing seemed comparable to it in 
interest; nothing, in fact, had any interest at 
all except in so far as it bore upon this all- 
important question. His constant habit of 
thankfulness to God for all his mercies was 
now enriched by the thought, running through 
every thanksgiving, of Mary. And so he 
panted for Tuesday, and the good work they 
were both engaged in together. When that 
evening came he was uplifted and amazed to 
find quite a little crowd of lads present when 
he arrived at the hall, although he was early. 
And he had hardly time for even a perfunctory 
greeting to his darling before there were at 
least one hundred present. It was a most 
delightful experience, and before he stepped 
forward for the opening hymn his face literally 
shone with sacred joy, so that his auditors felt 
awe-stricken. And the whole of the evening's 
proceedings went with a vigor and verve that 
kept his enthusiasm at the boiling point. 

When at last, tired out, he closed the 
meeting and went to the door to shake hands 
with those who were departing, one big fellow 
lingered behind muttering that he'd like to 
speak to him. Dick readily assented, and then 
learned, to his grateful astonishment, that the 
excess of numbers was owing to the fact that 


1 86 The Seed of the Righteous 

there had been a force organized to break up 
the meeting. But they could not begin, so 
wonderfully had they been impressed by his 
look and manner, and the result had been a 
triumphant success. Bidding the sheepish- 
looking fellow good-by, he hurried to Mary, 
who was waiting for him, and told her the glad 
news. Then together they dropped on their 
knees and thanked God for their great blessing. 
They were about to rise when Dick, putting his 
hand on her shoulder, said : Mary, let us get 
married soon ; say next month. Tm sure God 
will bless us, and I do want a home so badly 
with you in it.’’ 

And she replied: “Very well, Dick, it shall 
be as you wish. God bless you.” 


CHAPTER XII 
Marriage 

The next few days were busy ones indeed 
for Dick and Mary, who met every evening, 
and went hunting for a home in the neigh- 
borhood of Brixton. At last they fixed upon 
a flat of three rooms quite close to the hall that 
was almost like a life-center to them, and then 
there was the delightful task before them of 
buying and plenishing for that little nest. 
Mary, poor girl, had hardly any money; the 
demands of her father had barely left her 
sufficient to clothe herself decently; but that 
was a source of additional pleasure to Dick, 
who loved to be looked to, and he thought, 
with rejoicing, that he actually had in the Post 
Office Savings Bank just over a hundred and 
fifty pounds. So when Mary, lured by the 
specious advertisements of shoddy furniture 
dealers, timidly suggested that they should do 
their furnishing on the hire system, Dick be- 
came energetic in speech and gesture. 

My dear one,’’ he said, if there is one part 
of the Bible referring to our daily life that 
appeals to me more than any other, it is ' Owe 
187 


1 88 The Seed of the Righteous 

no man anything/ I suppose it is because my 
sainted mother so often had it on her lips. She 
could never owe a penny, would rather starve, 
and looked upon all these schemes for luring 
poor people into debt as inventions of the devil. 
No, dear, what we can't buy with ready money 
we'll do without, and, thank God, it won't be 
much." 

With a silent pressure on his arm she as- 
sented, and all was peace. 

On Sunday, in consultation with Brother 
Jackson, they decided that the wedding should 
take place at the plain Wesleyan Chapel, where 
for so long they had been in the habit of enjoy- 
ing communion, and had grown to know and 
love greatly the ardent young apostle who was 
the pastor thereof. 

It was now the last week in March, and, 
in accordance with a custom obtaining in the 
office, the juniors took their vacation early in 
the year, Dick's falling in the second and third 
week in April. So the wedding was fixed for 
the first Monday in April, Dick arranging for 
a week's holiday with his bride and a week 
at home, settling down before resuming his 
work at the office. But at Mary's home there 
was trouble. Her earnings were sixteen shil- 
lings per week, and she had hitherto given it 


Marriage 


189 

nearly all to her mother, her total savings being 
only a pound. Now she resolutely refused to 
give up more than five shillings of her earnings, 
her father being in full work, and was, in con- 
sequence, treated to a full and rich exposition 
of her father’s ideas concerning her and her 
sweetheart, and, incidentally, her mother. She, 
however, had a brave and single heartj and 
stood her ground boldly. She did not return 
railing for railing, but told her father that if he 
were in want or ill she would starve herself to 
aid him, but she saw no sense in pouring her 
poor earnings through him into the till of the 
publican and the pocket of the bookmaker. 

It says a great deal for her courage and 
constancy that not one word of all this sore 
trouble reached Dick’s ears. She bore it alone, 
determined that he should in no way be bur- 
dened with her family troubles if she could 
avoid it. And so, when settling the wedding 
day arrangements, Dick asked if she would 
like to have a meal at her parents’ home, she 
said “ No.” She would like her mother to 
come and see them married, but she would pre- 
fer to be given away, if that were necessary, by 
Mr. Jackson. And so, to avoid complications, 
the day of the marriage was kept secret from 
Mr. Grace, who, fortunately, was employed at 


190 The Seed of the Righteous 

a distance. And the little company at the 
chapel consisted only of Mary and her mother, 
Brother Jackson and Dick, the minister, and 
caretaker. 

It was a solemn little service, having its due 
effect upon all concerned, and afterward, at 
Brother Jackson’s invitation, the little party, 
including the minister, sat down to a light and 
plain meal at a temperance hotel in the neigh- 
borhood, and for a couple of hours were 
quietly and entirely happy together. There 
was then a hurried leave-taking of all friends, 
but especially of the poor, tearful mother, who 
much dreaded the home-coming of her husband. 
Then together they walked to the little home 
which was all ready for them, and to which 
Mary’s things had been removed in the morn- 
ing. Thence they journeyed in a four wheeler 
to Waterloo, and so to Weymouth for the first 
week of their wedded life. 

How very tame and unsensational, aye, and 
yet unconventional! For both these young 
people, loving each other none the less because 
they were eminently sensible, had begun as they 
meant to go on, and, somehow, neither of them 
felt the necessity of an extravagant outlay and 
show which they could not afford. It must not 
be denied, however, that there was some bitter 


Marriage 


191 

admixture in their otherwise brimming cup of 
joy. On Dick’s side it was that Susie, to whom 
he had written inviting her to his marriage, had 
never even answered his letter, and Dolly was 
not, as far as he knew, within his reach. On 
Mary’s side there was the thought of her 
mother facing the home-coming of Mr. Grace 
and explaining the situation to him. 

But, like the wise youngsters that they were, 
they dismissed these glooms from their minds, 
and sat hand-in-hand in the grimy third-class 
carriage on the Southwestern express bearing 
them swiftly westward with overflowing 
hearts, and eyes that occasionally brimmed 
over so with joy that they could not see the 
fleeting landscape. They were not alone in 
the compartment. Dick knew nothing of the 
magic of a tip, nor if he had would he have felt 
justified in, as he would have thought, buying 
from a railway official what he had no right to 
sell — ^by which it will be seen that he was a 
most inconvenient young man to deal with, and 
one that was never likely to get on ” very 
fast in the worldly man’s sense of the term. 
But they were enwrapped in each other, and 
consequently took no heed of their surround- 
ings or their neighbors, and so we will leave 
them for the time. 


192 The Seed of the Righteous 

Mrs. Grace prepared her husband’s evening 
meal with a heart that palpitated and hands 
that trembled. Many a time had she dreaded 
his home-coming, but never so much as now. 
For she knew his morose and sullen temper 
when tired, hungry, and sober, and wished with 
all her poor aching soul that someone else had 
to tell him the news. Suddenly he walked in 
and flung the bundle of wood which he, in 
common with most of his fellows, took from the 
buildings where he was employed as a per- 
quisite, down in the corner. But none of them 
ever failed to take full credit from their wives 
for their thoughtfulness in saving the house- 
hold expenditure to that extent. Without a 
word, he flung himself into a chair standing 
ready at the table, and began upon the savory 
meal smoking before him. 

A few mouthfuls refreshed him, improved 
his temper, and, taking a long drink of tea, he 
looked at his wife, who was hovering about 
him, and said : What’s the matter with you, 
woman? Why don’t you sit down and get 
some grub? ” 

She sank into a chair at his word and buried 
her face in her apron, sobbing as if heart- 
broken. 

'' Now, what’s wrong? Look here, stop that 


Marriage 


193 

snivelHn’; when a man’s ben workin’ hard all 
day he don’t want that kind of thing when he 
comes home.” 

O, Bill ! ” the woman wailed, I’m sorry, 
but I can’t help cryin’. Our baby’s gone.” 

What d’ye mean ? ” he growled. 

Why, Mary’s got married today an’ gone 
away with her husband.” 

It is characteristic of the man and his class 
that he deliberately finished his meal, filled his 
pipe, lit it, and stretched out his legs lux- 
uriously before he replied. Then he said: 

O, she has, has she ? Married that rantin’ 
Methodist feller, I s’pose ? All right, only don’t 
let her darken my door any more. If she does. 
I’ll give her the order of the Boot. As for him, 
if he valleys his own skin, don’t let him come 
nigh Bill Grace, that’s all.” 

Mrs. Grace had by this time recovered from 
her alarms, and found somewhere a little spirit. 
Because she spoke up and said: '‘Well, I’m 
glad she’s gone, an’ she isn’t likely to have 
such a life as mine has been. Her husband’s 
had to provide her with clothes even because 
her father’s eaten up all her earnings, an’ I — 
an’ I — was hardly fit to go an’ see her married, 
the poor child. An’ you can rant an’ swear at 
him as much as ever you like, but, thank God — 


194 The Seed of the Righteous 

yes, thank God — he won’t do as you’ve done, a 
dear lad that’s brought up his whole family 
since his parents’ death; an’ if our child was 
an angel from heaven, she wouldn’t be too good 
for him. As for you, you’re my husband, an’ 
I’ve got to put up with you; but, if I was to 
die this minute for it, I’d say thank God my 
child is married an’ free from you.” 

And the powerful Mr. Grace — whose loud 
voice was oracular in workshop and private 
bar, who cared for no man, and sometimes had 
visions of a seat in Parliament, after a tempes- 
tuous meeting at the local Radical Club — was 
mute and shrinking, as is the bull-terrier when 
the hard-pressed kitten faces him, cornered. 
He went on smoking his pipe and saying noth- 
ing. Indeed, no word further was uttered that 
night in the home of the Graces. 

But Mrs. Grace, having found her long-lost 
spirit, went about her duties of clearing away 
and preparing for the morning with a 
straighter back and head held higher than she 
had known for many years. And, strange 
though it may seem, the big, selfish man was 
all the better for his sudden lesson. He was 
by no means made a good man, but he was 
better to his faithful wife than he had ever 
been before, and as the time wore on he grew 


Marriage 


195 

quite subdued and peaceable when his married 
daughter and her husband came to visit their 
parents. He was even noticeably civil to Dick, 
trying to start some topic which might be inter- 
esting; but in vain, for they were as far as the 
poles asunder in thought, and had not one idea 
in common. 

Each of us has his or her own ideas of happi- 
ness; but, setting aside relative notions of 
pleasure, I take leave to doubt whether any 
human beings could have been happier than 
Dick and Mary on the first real holiday of their 
lives. For they were one in heart and mind; 
they owed nothing of their present joy to any- 
one but God, and that debt they hourly and 
gladly acknowledged. They had no fears for 
the future, for their faith forbade that, and in 
every new and beautiful scene around them 
they took full and abiding interest. They were 
both very young, as years went, but quite old in 
the knowledge of life-difficulties, and when 
they felt any doubt as to their ability to face 
life’s problems they thought of God. 

Their chief delight was to wander down to 
the Chesil Beach, and, sitting on the ridge, to 
look out upon the tumbling surges for hours, 
noting how all the turbulence and violence of 
those seething waves were hushed when the 


196 The Seed of the Righteous 

barrier was reached. And Dick told Mary 
tales of his one voyage, and of his thoughts at 
that time, while her clear gray eyes looked 
into his brown ones with perfect confidence. 
She said but little, for she was that rarely 
sweet being — a silent, self-contained woman, 
given to deep thought and few words, and she 
was fully content with the man of her heart. 
And, when the day came for their return to 
London she was quite ready. In fact, as she 
whispered to Dick, much as she had enjoyed 
their holiday, she was anxious to be in their 
own dear home, among their household 
treasures, in order to feel the housewife’s joy. 

So, on a lovely spring afternoon, they re- 
turned, and sat down to tea almost speechless 
with delighted gratitude. For, during their 
absence, friends of theirs, who had loved them 
without saying much, had learned of their 
marriage, and, to their intense amazement, had 
sent a regular stack of presents, useful things 
of all kinds. Chief among their unexpected 
delights was a pretty cottage Broadwood piano 
from Mr. Harcourt, who had learned, through 
Mr. Jackson, of the wedding. When she saw 
it Mary could not help shedding a few joyful 
tears. For now,” she said, I shall be able 
to help you, dear, if you won’t let me go to 


Marriage 


197 

work. I can soon get some pupils for playing 
and singing, and — O, dear! isn't God good 
to us?" 

Dick could only nod his head, for the sense 
of unexpected appreciation of love — which, he 
feared, had been taken from him unjustly in 
the case of Mr. Harcourt — was more than he 
could trust his utterance to. No one whom 
he had more than a nodding acquaintance with 
seemed to have forgotten him ; and, most 
touching of all, there was a magnificently bound 
volume of Sankey's Hymns, suitable for piano 
or organ, presented by the young ruffians of his 
Tuesday singing class. 

The rest of that precious day was devoted 
to gloating over and arranging their many 
treasures, culminating in a delightful little 
evening meal, at which Mary's mother was 
present, almost speechless with admiration of 
the cosy little home and the many beautiful 
tributes of affection. She brought with her 
the consoling news, for Mary, that Bill, her 
husband, seemed somehow to be a bit ashamed 
of himself, and, while still professing his de- 
termination never to see or speak to his 
daughter again, he undoubtedly handed over 
a greater proportion of his wages, as realizing 
that Mary's weekly contribution had almost 


198 The Seed of the Righteous 

paid the home expenses. She stayed with the 
happy pair until ten o’clock, then solemnly 
blessed them, saying : I feel as if I couldn’t 
ever be thankful enough to God for bringin’ 
you two together an’ startin’ you off in married 
life like this. I’ll pray every hour I live that 
you may never be less happy than you are now, 
because you’ll never forget how good God has 
been to you.” 

It is difficult to say whether the second week 
of their honeymoon, spent at home, was hap- 
pier than the first week at Weymouth. Any- 
how, it was delightful, and yet to outside 
observers the young pair were seriously mat- 
ter-of-fact and businesslike. 

Their landlady, discussing them to a couple 
of cronies, said : They’re only kids, you know, 
not much over forty years between ’em ; but I 
know many an’ many a married couple, old 
enough to be their parents, what aint got half 
their sense, nor yet their old-fashioned ways. 
I only wish any of my youngsters was likely to 
turn out half as well.” 

There was great joy at the Tuesday evening 
meeting, and such an accession of numbers that 
Dick was tempted to make a little preliminary 
speech. At least, that was what he intended it 
to be. But the Spirit came upon him, and. he 


Marriage 


199 

told in simplest and most earnest fashion the 
story of his life to that gathering of about one 
hundred and thirty youngsters of from thirteen 
to seventeen years of age. They listened with 
strained attention, for there was not a phrase 
they did not understand, not an incident but 
had its hidden meaning for them. It was the 
life they knew, but with such a difference ! For 
all through it ran the golden thread of God’s 
care, everywhere came irresistibly to the front 
the face of the praying, God-loving parents, 
who though dead yet spoke and acted in their 
child. Suddenly Dick ceased, saying : I 
must beg your pardon, lads, for talking to you 
so long; perhaps we’d better get on now with 
our singing.” 

At that moment a neighboring clock told 
the hour, letting Dick know that his few 
preliminary remarks had used up all the 
allotted time for the whole meeting and an 
hour besides. And, more wonderful still, that 
audience had been held so that scarcely a 
movement save of irrepressible emotion had 
been made the whole time. 

There was a wild burst of applause, cheering 
repeated again and again, while Mary sat with 
the tears streaming down her shining face, and 
Dick felt as he had never felt before. In that 


200 The Seed of the Righteous 

moment, however, his main thoughts were 
centered upon his mother in loving wonder- 
ment whether she was sharing in this tremen- 
dous joy. Then, as the cheering subsided, he 
lifted his head and said : ‘‘ My dear chaps, you 
know I can’t say anything, so let us have ‘ The 
Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of 
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with 
us all evermore. Amen.’ ” 

When the pair got home that night Dick 
said to Mary : Dear one, we’ll have to pray 
against getting puffed up if much more of this 
goes on. How do you feel, dear ? ” 

I feel so proud of my dear that it seems as 
if my heart would burst. I don’t seem to think 
of myself at all.” 

And I,” he rejoined, don’t feel a bit as 
if I had anything to do with it at all, except 
that I am glad that everybody seems to love 
us so. I can’t seem to think of anything but 
mother. It seems just as if she were always 
near me and God at the same time, talking 
friendly like to God about me. It’s a wonderful 
feeling. And then, like a dark cloud on a sun- 
shiny day, there comes the thought of Susie and 
Dolly and Jemmy. I know I can’t help the 
way they have behaved; but there is always 
the thought that perhaps I might have done 


Marriage 201 

more. Why, O why, has not Susie written or 
come to us ? 

He had hardly finished his sentence before 
there was a knock at the door, and to Mary’s 
cry of ‘‘ Come in,” there entered a really beau- 
tiful young woman, who walked straight over 
to Dick, folded him in her arms, and kissed him 
passionately. Mary stared with rounded eyes 
at this until Dick, struggling to his feet, said : 

Darling, this is Susie. Thank God, she’s 
come at last.” The greeting between the two 
young women was not overcordial, for Susie, 
her first burst of affection over, had a most 
decided air of hauteur, and besides, had evi- 
dently come with that preconceived notion of 
putting her sister-in-law in her place that is 
characteristic of the class to which she be- 
longed. And Mary, with a woman’s tact, was 
quick to see this, while her love for Dick made 
her refrain from resenting it. 

A desultory talk followed, in which Susie 
gave her adverse opinion of Dolly and Jemmy 
in no uncertain terms, informed them that 
she was now lady’s-maid at thirty pounds a 
year, and engaged to be married to an electrical 
engineer, who was in an extraordinarily good 
position. 

‘^And, by-the-by, he’s waiting for me”— 


202 The Seed of the Righteous 

she did not say where because of a notion that 
the saloon bar of the nearest public house would 
not commend itself to her brother as a desirable 
waiting place — ‘‘ and IVe been much longer 
than I intended. Sorry I couldn't come to your 
wedding, but my duties made it impossible. 
Well, good-by, Richard [kiss] ; good-by Mrs. 
Hertford [frigid hand-shake]. No, don't come 
down," and she was gone. 

Dick and Mary stood and stared at each 
other for a minute or two in silence after she 
had gone. Then Dick, taking Mary in his 
arms, said : Darling wife, don't let us refer 
to this incident again. It really doesn't matter, 
except that it eases my mind. Henceforth we 
have only each other to think of as the family, 
and that is an entirely good thing." And 
Mary replied with a kiss. 

My commonplace story draws to a close, that 
is as far as my original purpose is concerned. 
I hold that in practically all novels the story 
ceases just when the life-interest begins, that 
is, with the marriage of the hero and heroine, 
and that this true story is no exception to the 
rule. But in the present case the marriage of 
my hero was not the end foreshadowed in the 
story, nor was the life-struggle anything to do 
with the heroine. And for its commonplace 


Marriage 


203 

incidents, pray do not blame me, but life. In- 
deed, although the story has always been clam- 
oring at me to write it because of what I con- 
sider its invigorating effect, I have felt, and do 
feel, that it can in no wise be classed with 
stories of adventure. 

But this appears apologetic, and that I do 
not feel is at all necessary. What I do feel 
is pain at parting with Dick on paper, because 
from henceforth he pursues the even tenor of 
his way, he and his dear wife being indeed 
lights in their corner of our great London, full 
of the joy of living and doing their work as 
unto the Lord. 

I should have been happier in the conclusion 
of this little story if I could have shown the 
behavior of Susan Hertford’s other children in 
a better light, but it would have been at the 
expense of truth. In their case, as in so many 
others, it would seem as if, the burden of re- 
sponsibility being entirely taken from them, 
they had developed a selfish callousness in place 
of that gratitude which might have been looked 
for, but which is so often in similar cases looked 
for in vain. If, however, this true story proves 
anything, it is that there is no dictum in the 
grand old Book truer than It is more blessed 
to give than to receive ” ; that the perennial 


204 The Seed of the Righteous 

well-spring of the water of everlasting life in 
the Christ’s man or woman is a living fact as 
well as an uplifting idea, and that there is today 
as there has ever been, a special blessing from 
on high ever attendant upon the Seed of the 
Righteous. 


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